THE Houston Astros They have the unfortunate reality weighing on them this offseason: Their star player is wanted by almost every team in the league in free agency.

Superstar third baseman Alex Bregman is about to hit the open market, and as a guy who has been one of the most key pieces of an Astros team that has dominated the American League for most of the last decade, he’s the kind of player teams are willing to bombard. a lot of money to acquire.

Houston has already let its biggest stars go, but Bregman has gained a different status in the city compared to previous players who left.

Bregman is an Astros icon and someone fans desperately want to keep around.

Whether or not this will happen remains to be seen, but there are definitely some destinations that would sting more than others.

The one that may be at the top of the list is a team that Bregman was instrumental in defeating multiple times in the playoffs.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com named defending AL champion New York Yankees as an opportunity for the star.

“Bregman is part of the Houston core that has beaten the Yankees three times in the ALCS since 2017, so New York is well aware of how dangerous the third baseman is,” he wrote. “Jazz Chisholm Jr. has manned the hot corner for most of the Yankees’ games after the trade deadline, but he could move to second base if New York signs Bregman or any other third baseman. The Yankees’ ability to sign again Soto could determine how aggressive they are towards the rest of the free agent market.

The fit is there, and depending on what happens with free agency’s top prize, Juan Soto, the money could well be there too.

For the Yankees, it will be extremely tempting to steal one of Houston’s best players for a second time, as Gerrit Cole continues to divide hitters in the Bronx.

Coming off their first World Series appearance since 2009 – an appearance that came without having to face the Astros – the team’s executives are going to be hungry for more and may think Bregman is the way to get it done.

Losing Bregman would hurt no matter what, but losing him to New York would be downright painful.