Alex Bregman on Wednesday agreed to a three-year, $120 million contract with the Boston Red Sox. The club made the pact official in a press release on Saturday morning, also signaling the end of an era in Houston, where Bregman spent the first nine seasons of his MLB career.
On Friday, Bregman took to Instagram and wrote a heartfelt goodbye to the Astros and the city of Houston.
"To the Astros organization … Thank you for believing in me, for pushing me to be my best, and for giving me the opportunity to live out my dream. To my teammates … You made every day at the ballpark unforgettable, and I will always cherish the memories we created together, both on and off the field."
"We are family. To the fans … Thank you for every cheer, every chant, and every moment of support. I will never take our time together for granted. Houston, from the bottom of my heart … thank you."
Bregman, along with the likes of former Astros shortstop Carlos Correa and current Astros second baseman Jose Altuve, formed a strong nucleus that propelled Houston to seven straight American League Championship Series and two World Series titles from 2017 to '23. He was one of only five players to play on both of the Astros' championship-winning clubs.
During that span, Bregman developed into one of the better two-way third basemen in the league, making a pair of All-Star teams—winning All-Star Game MVP in 2018—while securing a Gold Glove in '24. Bregman's best season in Houston came in 2019, when he clubbed a career-best 41 home runs while posting a 1.015 OPS and finishing second in the AL MVP voting.
The 30-year-old has posted a .272/.366/.483 slash line with 191 home runs, 663 RBI and 694 runs scored in his career. During his time in Houston, he also became known for his charitable efforts. Through his Bregman Cares charity, Bregman helped raise awareness for autism, provided bats to underprivileged schools and even raised $2 million with his #FEEDHOU campaign during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bregman will be missed on and off the field in Houston.
