Alex Bregman will stay at Astros unless lured by a massive paycheck, claims ex-Mets GM

Alex Bregman is, without question, the biggest name remaining in free agency. The two-time World Series champion has reportedly been seeking at least six years on the open market and has yet to put pen to paper. Fellow All-Star Pete Alonso brought his free agency to a close, signing a two-year, $54 million deal, however, Bregman has not expressed any interest in a similar short-term deal.

It's clear that if any club is going to land Alex Bregman this offseason, they will not only have to give him the long-term deal he is seeking, but if it is a team other than the Houston Astros, they may need to pay up. This is something that former New York Mets general manager turned MLB analyst Steve Phillips believes will be the case.

The former front office executive spoke about Bregman on the latest episode of MLB Hot Stove on Friday. Phillips expressed his thoughts on the situation, and how he believes that any team, other than the Houston Astros, are going to need to hand out a lucrative deal in order to pry him away from his old club.

"It sounds like the Blue Jays are in for six years, the Tigers are in for six years, which then means if they are all in the same ballpark, the money goes further in Texas because of not having the state income tax," Phillips said of the Bregman situation.

If it truly is coming down to a decision between the Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers, and Houston Astros, Steve Phillips believes that Houston holds an advantage in a number of areas aside from just the lack of a state income tax. From having the best chance to win to what is the best situation for his family, Phillips views the Astros as a perfect fit for the third baseman.

"Then it comes chance to win... I would say the Astros give him the best chance to win. Then it's comfort level for the family, it's home for him right now in Houston... Then it's legacy, I don't think he can go anywhere else and build a legacy better than what he's built in Houston... All signs for me indicate Houston unless someone comes in with the money," Phillips continued.

The Houston Astros have reportedly upped their contract offer to bring back Alex Bregman

Earlier this offseason, it was reported that the Houston Astros had offered Alex Bregman a six-year, $156 million deal, which the third baseman turned down. According to sources close to the situation, the team has improved upon that original offer, however, the details have not been released.

The fact that Alex Bregman has not yet agreed to a deal, including the reportedly increased one from the Houston Astros suggests that he is either looking for more money on the open market or exploring to see if he can get a longer-term deal elsewhere.