Astros GM Dana Brown keeps faint hope alive for Alex Bregman’s return amid Tigers rumors

The ongoing free agency for Alex Bregman has taken a number of twists and turns this offseason. The two-time All-Star has been linked to several different clubs this offseason after turning down a long-term extension from the Houston Astros.

Despite the third baseman being linked to other teams, including the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox, there is a realistic chance that Alex Bregman could be back in Houston. General manager Dana Brown has given hope to fans hoping to see the Gold Glove-winning third baseman back in a Houston Astros uniform.

MLB insider and Astros beat writer Brian McTaggart asked Brown about the ongoing situation with Alex Bregman. He revealed that the team is surprised to see that he is still a free agent as well as the fact that there is still contact between them.

"When we made some trades and moves this offseason, we never realized that Bregman would still be on the market at this point ... We've had some conversation, and the interesting thing is that he is still available, so it's not as if we are not talking about him," Brown said of Bregman's offseason.

The Houston Astros have been busy this offseason, trading outfield superstar Kyle Tucker to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Isaac Paredes, Hayden Wesneski and prospect Cam Smith. However, if they are able to also bring Alex Bregman back into the fold, the Astros could find themselves back in postseason contention.

"I would say it's cracked," Brown said of the door not being closed on a Bregman reunion. "The fact that he's still available, it just makes it interesting. Man, this guy is such a good player, he's done so many wonderful things here, so we'll stick with the cracked door and see what our conversations lead to," he continued.

Bregman has spent his entire nine-year MLB career with the Houston Astros, winning a pair of World Series titles, while also winning a Silver Slugger Award and a Gold Glove at third base. It will be interesting to see if after all of the offseason speculation, he returns to Houston.

The Houston Astros could shift their defense around to make room for Alex Bregman

According to MLB insider Jon Heyman, if the Houston Astros were able to bring Bregman back into the fold, they could make some significant changes to their defense.

Heyman reported that the team could look to move superstar Jose Altuve to the outfield and shift Isaac Paredes to second base, opening the door for Bregman to return to third base.

The defensive re-alignment would be a significant, especially considering the fact that Jose Altuve is one of the best second basemen of his generation, winning the Gold Glove Award at the position.