Astros third baseman Alex Bregman has hired Scott Boras as his new agent, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Reports that Bregman was seeking new representation emerged back in May, after he parted ways with longtime representative Brodie Scoffield, who had recently joined Klutch Sports’ fledgling baseball division. Klutch, a powerhouse NBA firm led by agent Rich Paul, represents the likes of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, John Wall and Draymond Green but expanded into baseball in early April by acquiring Scoffiled’s Tidal Sports firm.
Unfortunately for all parties involved, it was only a few weeks later that James’ film company, Uninterrupted, announced plans to produce a docu-series on the Astros’ 2017 sign-stealing scandal. That indeed played a role in Bregman’s decision to jump ship, Rome writes, adding that Bregman had no ill will toward Scoffield.
The Boras Corporation won’t be negotiating a new contract for Bregman anytime soon, barring an uncharacteristic extension. (Notably, Boras did negotiate Jose Altuve’s $151MM extension with Houston.) Bregman is already under contract through the 2024 season after signing a five-year, $100MM contract in March 2019. That pact, which begins with the 2020 season, bought out Bregman’s three arbitration campaigns and two would-be free-agent seasons. Absent that long-term deal, Bregman would’ve been poised to reach the open market heading into his age-29 season, but he’ll instead become a free agent heading into his age-31 campaign.
The 2019 season was Bregman’s best to date. After a strong rookie showing in 2016 and an even better year in 2017, Bregman has only seen his stock rise. He erupted with a .286/.394/.532 slash and 31 home runs in 2018, and the former No. 2 overall pick took his game to even loftier heights with last year’s .296/.423/.592 slash (168 wRC+, 162 OPS+). Bregman was an All-Star in both 2018 and 2019, finishing fifth and second, respectively in MVP voting those years as well.
Bregman’s change in representation will be reflected in MLBTR’s Agency Database, which contains representation information on more than 2,500 players. If you see any errors or omissions, please let us know via email: mlbtrdatabase@gmail.com.
DarkSide830
here come the trash can jokes…
Scrap1ron
It’s not a joke when it’s true.
goastros123
At least be original and make it funny.
WiffleBall
Somebody call the waaaaambulance, the Astros fan has entered the chat!
ihazhomerun
He’ll give you a real BANG…..for your buck. How’s that?
goastros123
That’s better, Ihazhomerun.
A'sfaninLondonUK
@ihazhomerun/goastros (& everybody else) – whilst an Astros fan troubles him or herself to remind us of the “crime” it’d be rude not to oblige.
I can only imagine the joy on Bregman’s face when he discovered that his own agents were funding a documentary into the naughty tomfoolery… I’d have paid someone else’s money to be present.
Intro to the doc will start with the 2017 WS parade through the streets of Houston, and will feature artistic license.
The starting nine will be pictured doing the can-can on top of the bus in celebration. When interviewed Josh Reddick and others will describe themselves as “wired” or “buzzing”. AJ Hinch will insist all percussive maintenance to TV monitors was due to electrical interference from storms in Alpha Merkin C Galaxy, affecting satelite transmissions of his favourite episodes of Captain Caveman.
In scene two twelve virginal nuns (as verified by Robert Osuna’s front office authorised interrogation techniques) will bless (the soon to be) St Jose of Altuve for not exposing his torso on Eucharist Saint Patrick of the Netherlands Tuesday (ESPN Tuesday)….
Do you need any more? I leave work in 37 minutes, so you’re under a deadline….
I’m tired of the equally tired explanations of “it made no difference, home/road splits, Kate’s cycle.” It’s not the point – whether they succeeded or not – whether countless players plead “I didn’t use it/benefit/was at Choc full o’ nuts that Tuesday” someone, somewhere decided this tw*ttery was acceptable. It isn’t.
coupofthecentury
Dude, no one read all of that
A'sfaninLondonUK
@ coup of the century
one thumb up – With apologies for being able to hold an incoherent thought beyond your attention span.
The point was this, and I’ll put it really simply….
The 2017 Astros were good enough to win it all without resorting to cheating.
Priggs89
Maybe. Maybe not. They clearly didn’t believe they were.
Doug Dueck
I read it all.
Not a clever name
Two thumbs up, I read it and thought it was rather good.
PutPeteRoseInTheHall
I agree. They had some amazing players so they probably could have won without trashcans. I went to see a game early june and it was fun to watch. great team that beat the red sox with price on the mound
chitown311
José Quintana is adding a split-finger to his pitch arsenal. Better?
justacubsfan
You stole that joke from a different article…
ihazhomerun
Michael Scott: Dwight, let me explain something to you. I set the rules and you follow them. Blindly. Ok? And if you have a problem, [picks up a trash container] with that, then you can talk to our complaint department. It’s a trash can!
goastros123
Kudos for working in an Office reference.
ihazhomerun
I try to whenever I can, lol.
Ironman_4life
How about: Bregman certain to bang out a deal with agent Boras
reflect
Surprised he didn’t hire Waste Management
erauber
Lol
diehardcubbie
He didn’t like that they use plastic trash cans. They are harder to hear than metal ones.
92jays
Love it haha
whynot 2
Two of the most likable individuals in the sport, haha
Brixton
Before the cheating, Bregman was someone you could root for
parkdav
You could definitely argue he wasn’t.
24TheKid
Yeah I would say Bregman was disliked well before the trash cans.
whynot 2
He has always been smug and arrogant. There is a big difference between confidence and the way he carries himself
KCJ
Whynot –
It’s good to know I wasn’t the only one who thought so LOL
geg42
He should get Boras to have that contact torn up. 9 war is worth closer to $30M
johnrealtime
In before the Scott boras and Astros haters combine to have an orgy of stupidity
DarkSide830
certainly probable
spooky
I find it hard to believe that Boras and Bregman weren’t in cahoots before.
Warisalie
@spooky …. me 2…… those are two of the biggest slime bags in ALL of pro sports. Bregman is such an arrogant little man. He has the Napoleon complex big time.
drew ford
I tried to think of something funny to say but my joke has bin used before and was just garbage anyway.
bradthebluefish
He’s gonna need Boras’s PR to make it in this league.
Brixton
Um, Bregman is an MVP candidate
DarkSide830
and i can’t wait for the excuse for when he puts up great numbers again this year
empirejim
So cheater boy is in bed with slime ball… perfect union!
Strike Four
If you think Boras is a “slime ball” you should see all 30 ownership groups of MLB teams!
DarkSide830
and it’s not like any other agent in his position would act any differently
goastros123
Including the A’s owner.
Psychguy
Bregman is a cheater unless he’s on your favorite team. Every freakin’ team would love to have him and then every fan of that team would immediately and conveniently forgive an past transgressions.
♪
You might be projecting. It’s not that simple for many people. I think many fans would prefer other options for their team than regulars from the Astros teams of the last couple years, or however far back some kind of cheating went on..
We don’t even know if the cheating was limited to home games, only that they got caught cheating at home. Different methods could have been used on the road.. It’s very reasonable to wonder just how good Bregman, Altuve, etc. really are, in my opinion.
Warisalie
Amen! I don’t see these clowns defending the roid users. But they will defend the can banging and whistling
Psychguy
Winning trumps all. People don’t care as long as their team wins.
Andy51
Birds of a feather……
Strike Four
Klutch is trying to monopolize the industry and it’s really disgusting to watch.
Watching the flip from “everyone hates Lebron” then Lebron buying off the media and installing his own stooges (Kendrick Perkins, all his fanboys at espn, fox sports et al) to relentlessly work on the narrative that he’s the best player ever and no ones close, when Steph Curry has owned him his entire career, even when they’ve switched to 1-1 in playoffs, has just been infuriating to watch.
I’d do anything to go back to when we were clowning him every day instead of hating on KD for doing a less worse thing than what Lebum did in Miami – James premeditated “meetings” with players to link up with is far far worse than KD joining the best team that was already there, yet all we hear about is that KD is lowest of the low, its total BS and all designed to drown out Lebrons “competition”. But KD is just as good as LeBron and Steph. Curry. Is. BETTER.
Ezpkns34
You’ve confused mlbtraderumors with hoopsrumors
goastros123
What Durant did was worse: he joined a team that already won a championship. Lebron, Wade, and Bosh were embarassed by Dallas where as soon as Durant joined the Warriors, it was an automatic lock the Warriors would win another championship. It’s too bad Chris Paul got hurt.
king beas
The heat automatically became the no doubt best team in the league there’s no way they should’ve lost to a washed up mavs team at least Durant didn’t lose when he joined a super team. Also lebron left his home town…twice that’s a snake if I ever saw one
goastros123
Heat turned out to not be the best team in 2011. That was the Mavericks. That’s the difference. It actually took the Heat a year to get it together.
Warisalie
@strikefour….. we finally agree. Lol I’m sick of LeBron and his media fan boys. Plus the spurs used to own him. I mean OWN. Leonard shut that fool down on the regular. Not to mention he won’t take the fine winner to save his own life.
He’s nowhere near the goat. Not even a discussion. I know your on here with a burner account somewhere LeBron! I’m ready.
Warisalie
I think Kd has the offensive edge and LeBron has him on the defensive side. Kd is a much better three point shooter as well. It’s close. But just my opinion I don’t think steph is all around the player LeBron is. Now Leonard or giannis …… that’s another story
DarkSide830
i used to hate Boras, but his creativity and knowledge of the rulebook is admirable. like a good lawyer whose client you dont like but is innocent by a technicality
g8752
Kind of an ODD CHOICE for picking an agent like Boras considering Bregman signed a team friendly deal not so long ago.
TradeRumorUser
I think Astros can forget about resigning him now
nineincheslimp
If a fart can get through 2 a ss cheeks, underwear and jeans. What makes anyone think a virus can’t get threw a mask?
DarkSide830
dang this man is good
♪
I don’t know how discussion morphed into COVID-19 but what he said isn’t even relevant to the the way it can spread.. 413 gave his approval so you know it has to be nonsensical.
ihazhomerun
Probably 413’s alt account lol
♪
You’re a mindless dolt throwing nonsense around. I haven’t even mentioned my feelings about the COVID-19 situation or how I’m dealing with it.
brucenewton
Farts travel about 10 ft per second, mouth breathing about 4 ft per sec. without a mask. Pure force. A mask without social distancing isn’t all that effective. But significantly more effective than not wearing one.
pappyvw
Asssstros
afsooner02
Trash attracts trash
BPax
The Astros cheating scandal is right up there with the 1919 Black Sox scandal. That the season has been delayed by Covid is a gift to the cheating Stros. They have to be hoping that time dampens the outrage. And no fans in the stands for this 60 game season is also a Godsend to them. That said, I hope when fans return to the stands, whenever that is, that true fans will never forget and boo mercilessly and bang on any metal they can. That a 25 man roster either cheated or knew of the cheating and nobody said a word is sickening. Are these players any better than the looters smashing windows and stealing whatever they want? I think not.
AM21
Thank goodness. Boras has done wonders for the game.
brucenewton
Aren’t they father/son?
Warisalie
Not really worse. On the black Sox only a couple guys threw it. Not the whole team. The Astros cheated as a team. Good try tho
goastros123
Nice try. One involved the mob and was to taken to court while the other didn’t/wasn’t. Also, more than just a couple of guys on the White Sox were guilty. Objectively speaking, the Astros scandal was bad but it’s not nearly as bad as the Black Sox scandal. Read up on it.
reflect
He disposed of his old agent like a piece of trash.
Tazbk
Those two deserve each other.
nasrd
Arenado has hired Boras ….. a match made in heaven
mrgreenjeans
This player is a complete tool bag..
No Soup For Yu!
They’re certainly perfect for each other. Maybe Boras can convince a team that Bregman’s numbers during the trash can seasons were perfectly legitimate by referencing some obscure statistics or how using the system led to less stress on his mind.
pjmcnu
I guess he figured there wasn’t anything he could do to make people hate him any more than they do.
Idioms for Idiots
OK, the Astros cheated with the sign stealing. Quit treating them like they’re a bunch of serial killers and terrorists. Sign stealing has been going on for decades. I would bet every team has tried sign stealing at least once, though not as elaborate as what the Astros did. The Astros would still win the WS had they not engaged in sign stealing.
Just because they know what pitch is coming, they still have to hit it. You act like it’s easy to hit a 100 mph fastball. You still have to know the location. You can’t tell if the ball is going to be high, low, inside, or outside by the bang of a trash can. You also have to know the speed. If you’re timing the pitcher’s fastball at 97-98 and all of a sudden he pops one at 103, it might throw off the timing enough to end up a foul or a swing and a miss. If sign stealing made it that easy, the Astros would’ve scored 15 to 20 runs a game.
Sign stealing is along the lines of hitting with a corked bat or throwing a greased ball. Yes, it’s against the rules, but it’s not even close to the big deal everyone’s making it out to be.
The Astros got punished. The Astros are still the 2017 WS Champs. End of story. Quit whining about it.
whynot 2
Nope
Idioms for Idiots
@whynot
Yup.
The truth hurts.
coachtim
Jeez makes him even more unlikeable