After the Houston Astros fielded a payroll in 2024 that triggered MLB’s competitive balance tax, incurring the penalty for the first time amid owner Jim Crane’s tenure, Crane was asked if the team would consider overstepping the tax threshold again in 2025.

There seems to be no dearth of updates about who will land Alex Bregman. The post Houston Astros News: Alex Bregman Remains Out of Touch With Astros Despite Team’s Efforts to Reengage appeared first on EssentiallySports.

Reports that the Astros wanted to trade Pressly first started trickling out following their wild-card exit and a season where Houston handed the closing job to Josh Hader — their five-year, $95 million signing the previous offseason — and left Pressly to settle into a new role as their setup man.

Houston's longtime star at second base is reportedly considering a position move in order to retain Bregman in free agency, as first reported by USA Today's Bob Nightengale. Altuve would fill the Astros' current void in left field, while Paredes—the assumed starting third baseman sans Bregman—would move to second.