Now that the Houston Astros have traded expensive relief pitcher Ryan Pressly to the Chicago Cubs, it seems easy to assume that they are on the verge of re-singing longtime third baseman Alex Bregman. Well, to quote the great Lee Corso, not so fast. General manager Dana Brown is still trying to move forward with a potential backup plan.
The Astros remain interested in veteran infielder Jorge Polanco, per The Athletic’s Chandler Rome and Ken Rosenthal. Houston has offered the 2019 All-Star a one-year, $4 million contract and is staying on the hunt after unloading much of Pressly’s $14 million salary for the 2025 campaign. For the fans who were hoping a swift deal would be reached with Bregman following Sunday’s trade, this development is likely a bit concerning.
Though, perhaps Brown can find a way to land both the two-time World Series champion and Polanco. Infield depth is a hallmark of many successful clubs, and the latter is a more practical fit in that role rather than an everyday one. Polanco brandished a decently powerful bat with the Seattle Mariners, hitting 16 home runs in only 118 games last season. He alarmingly dropped off in almost every other area, however.
Astros’ target Jorge Polanco comes with some concerns
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The Dominican Republic native, who spent 10 of his first 11 seasons with the Minnesota Twins, accumulated a .213 batting average, .296 on-base percentage, .355 slugging percentage and .651 OPS while striking out more than 29 percent of the time. Polanco’s defense, which has always been a black mark on his game, was also ugly. He recorded -10 outs above average at second base in 2024.
But maybe Houston can serve as the impetus for an unexpected revival. Health is constantly a key factor when evaluating the 31-year-old’s effectiveness. He has played 150 games in a season just twice in his career, making him extremely hard to trust on a regular basis. Though, if manager Joe Espada has the luxury of using him in a limited capacity, Jorge Polanco could prove to be a viable contributor once again.
The Astros are juggling multiple balls in the air right now, as they try to round out their 2025 roster ahead of spring training. Will Alex Bregman remain in the air long enough to facilitate a return to Houston? Or, will his beloved run in Space City come to a halt? The organization is running out of time to find a resolution to this dilemma.
