Mega deal affects Bregman talks
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Decade-long deals dominated baseball discourse during the winter. Sunday, they spilled into spring training. News of Manny Machado’s 11year, $350 million contract extension with the San Diego Padres reached the back fields just as Astros infielders finished their daily defensive drills. Players and coaches greeted the sport’s newest gargantuan contract with wide eyes or sly smiles.
Alex Bregman offered neither. He grabbed a bat and began his first round of batting practice, peppering his pull side with line drives before discussing the round with hitting coaches. First-year general manager Dana Brown opened spring training with hope Bregman would “retire here.” Sunday demonstrated how difficult making that happen might be.
The two situations are not exact parallels, but Machado’s contract offers a sense of an elite third baseman’s market — and invites wonder whether Brown can convince owner Jim Crane to partake in it. Crane is averse to the type of deal Machado just received. He has never given anything longer than a six-year deal during his ownership tenure. For Bregman to seriously consider finishing his career in Houston, Crane may have to exceed that.
Bregman has two seasons remaining on the six-year, $100 million contract extension he signed in 2019. If he does not sign a new deal, Bregman will enter free agency after next season at 30 — the same age at which Machado just received his massive contract. Bregman is two years younger than Machado, who turns 31 on July 6.
Machado made his major league debut in 2012. Bregman’s did not arrive until 2016. Machado has six All-Star appearances and two Gold Gloves and last season finished as runner-up for National League MVP.
Bregman has an American League MVP runnerup on his résumé, along with two All-Star appearances. Bregman’s career 137 OPS+ is 11 points higher than Machado’s, but his smaller sample size must be considered. After injuries curtailed consecutive seasons in 2020 and 2021, Bregman played 155 games last year and had a 133 OPS+ — 33 points above the league average.
Bregman’s agent, Scott Boras, is renowned for his ability to either establish or reset markets for his clients. Machado is not represented by Boras, but the mega-agent will almost certainly aim to exceed Machado’s contract if Bregman continues his career trajectory and hits free agency in 2024. Under Crane, the Astros have never shown any willingness to even consider that sort of contract.
Earlier this spring, Brown said he made Boras aware that both Bregman and Jose Altuve should finish their careers in Houston. Altuve agreed, declaring earlier this spring that “I hope to retire here.” Altuve will be 34 when his current contract expires, a distinction that’s important to understand when discussing his situation in relation to Bregman’s.
Bregman has said nothing as direct as Altuve. On Sunday, Bregman reaffirmed his love for Houston and the Astros’ fan base while acknowledging he’s “all ears” for whatever Brown and Crane have to say. Asked whether free agency intrigued him, Bregman replied, “I mean, yeah.”
After Sunday, perhaps more so.
Feeling ‘rushed’ with new rules
Between most pitches of his major league career, Kyle Tucker has stepped out of the batter’s box, grabbed a fistful of dirt, rubbed it between his bare hands, and contemplated what he’s about to see.
Tucker’s routine has evolved over time and produced prodigious results. Tucker doesn’t wear batting gloves, so the dirt is essential, and he enjoys analyzing each pitch as part of the “strategy of hitting.”
Sunday, he saw it all disappear. Playing his first game with a pitch clock, Tucker said he felt “rushed” and wondered why Major League Baseball gave pitchers “another advantage” over hitters.
“These pitchers are the best pitchers in the world, and you’re giving them more of an advantage, and you have to rush in the box. It takes away some of the thought process that goes into hitting,” Tucker said after taking three at-bats in Houston’s 3-2 Grapefruit League loss to the Nationals. “I think it could be maybe a little longer instead of just stepping out and stepping back in.”
Baseball’s new rules require batters to be in the box and “engaged” with the pitcher at the eight-second mark of the pitch clock, which runs for 15 seconds between pitches with the bases empty and 20 with runners aboard.
Tucker did not incur a violation during his three at-bats Sunday, but he clearly curtailed his between-pitch routine to the new rules. He acknowledged afterward the awkwardness of changing a habit he’s had his entire career.
“It was pretty quick,” Tucker said. “I don’t think there’s as much thought process or much of an adjustment game plan-wise in between pitches that you can do. You have to do it super fast. That part kind of sucks, because you want to take your time, understand what just happened and what they’re about to do next.”
Hitters who are not “engaged” with the pitcher by the eight-second mark will receive an automatic strike. A Grapefruit League game Saturday between the Red Sox and Braves ended on this exact call. After being charged with a strike in San Diego’s spring opener Friday before singling in the same at-bat, Machado said he “might start down 0-1 a lot this year” as a result of the rules.
Tucker doesn’t seem that stubborn. He spent some time earlier this spring trying modified versions of his routine but put them into practice only Sunday. Tucker said he stared at the clock more than he envisioned and vowed to continue adjusting as the games progress.
“It feels like you have to rush into the box,” Tucker said. “When you step out, you realize what just happened, what kind of pitch did he throw, where location-wise did they throw it. You take all that in and try to figure out what they’re going to do next and get a game plan for it. You can’t really do that too much, because you have to step out, step back in and get the next pitch going.
“(Pitchers) already have an advantage because hitting is so hard. Now you’re giving them pitches like that if you’re taking too long. That part is a little tough. If that’s how it’s going to be, you’re just going to have to figure out a way, but it’s a little tough right now.”
Brantley gets closer to return
Michael Brantley took batting practice on the field for the first time Sunday, a significant step in his recovery from offseason shoulder surgery.
Brantley had been limited to hitting in the batting cages during the first week and a half of spring training. He has no restrictions defensively, but is still on a meticulous schedule for hitting. If Brantley adheres to it, the veteran outfielder said he should be ready for opening day on March 30.
Brantley’s apparent next step would be to face live pitching, be it in a batting practice session or a Grapefruit League game. It is unclear when either will occur.
Brantley, Brown and manager Dusty Baker have all been cautiously optimistic that Brantley could be cleared for the season opener, although the general manager acknowledged earlier in camp it will “come down to the wire.”
Brantley underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair his right labrum on Aug. 10. Houston resigned him to an incentive-laden one-year deal this winter that could reach $16 million if he takes 525 plate appearances.