MLB veteran shares thoughts on Alex Bregman entering new clubhouse in light of Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal involvement

Alex Bregman remains a highly sought-after free agent as teams vie to add the prized infielder to their rosters. However, there may be some concerns among teams regarding Bregman's history with the Houston Astros.

On Jomboy Media's JM Baseball podcast, Chris Rose and Trevor Plouffe discussed Bregman's free agency. Plouffe noted that while Bregman is one of the best third basemen in baseball, his involvement in the Astros' sign-stealing scandal could raise concerns as he joins a new clubhouse.

"I have this thought in my head, obviously tied to the Houston Astros scandal...To see him walk into a different clubhouse is going to be interesting. I’m sure the guys will be professional, but there’s going to be a feeling when Alex Bregman joins your team. I think he’s a nice guy, and I believe others were more to blame for what went down—like the veterans and the manager," Plouffe said.

"But there’s still a stigma with those guys, and Bregman was one of the faces of it. So I think where he ends up is going to be a topic of discussion. Alex Bregman walking into a new clubhouse for the first time—that’s going to be interesting," he added.

During the offseason following the 2019 season, the Houston Astros faced allegations of stealing pitcher signs. Cameras positioned directly behind the pitchers reportedly captured the hand signals relayed by the pitchers.

Detroit Tigers unwilling to spend big on Alex Bergman

There are doubts about teams aggressively pursuing Bregman, as reports indicate that the Tigers, previously considered favorites, haven't reached a deal. Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic mentioned on Foul Territory TV that the ongoing rumors about Detroit being Bregman's destination might not materialize:

"The Tigers definitely like Alex Bregman and Alex Bregman has some interest in the Tigers," Stavenhagen said. "But as much as social media has wanted to portray Bregman to the Tigers as imminent, I don't think it has ever quite gotten to that point..."

"Maybe the Tigers just aren't willing to spend, they'd love to have Bregman but up to a certain point. I don't know what their number is but I don't think they're looking for a seven-year deal, I don't think that they're willing to go up to $200 million," Stavenhagen said.

Alex Bregman will be seeking contracts in the range of $175-200 million over a period of six to seven years. His value as a corner infielder and recent Gold Glove winner supports this high valuation.