NEWS FLASH: The Astros have sold out two excellent players in order for the franchise to…

Days out from the MLB winter meetings in Nashville, the trade rumor mill is heating up.

In recent days, some have speculated over third baseman Alex Bregman’s future with the Houston Astros.

Bregman is entering the final year of his five-year, $100 million contract that he signed in March 2019. The LSU product is owed $28.5 million for 2024.

Bregman isn’t the only Astros star approaching his payday. Eight-time All-Star second baseman Jose Altuve is also entering the final year of his contract.

The Astros have yet to extend either Bregman or Altuve, prompting some to wonder if the club would trade either of them this winter, rather than risk losing them for just a compensation pick a year from now.

Longtime national baseball writer for USA TODAY Bob Nightengale recently visited the Jack Vita Show, where he weighed in on Houston’s offseason prospects.

“I think with Bregman, teams are calling because he’s a free agent after next year,” Nightengale said. “I’m sure they’re asking about Altuve too. But the Astros have made it clear to me, extending Altuve is their number one priority. Bregman isn’t. I think they think Bregman is going to be too expensive, where they want to make Altuve an Astro for life.”

With teams calling and checking in on Bregman’s availability, might the two-time World Series champion be moved before Opening Day?”I don’t think they trade him a year early,” Nightengale said. “I really don’t. Maybe if they’re out of the race come July, they would trade him, but I think they want to go for this thing and continue it. It’s not like they’re in rebuilding mode by any means.

They could have easily won the World Series this year. So no, I think they’ll keep Bregman. They’ll listen. They’ll listen to everybody, just like every other GM, but I think it’d take a ton for them to move Bregman, because they need him.”

The Astros led the American League Championship Series 3-2 over the eventual World Series champion Texas Rangers.

There is a precedent for Bregman’s free agency. Houston faced similar decisions with cornerstone position players George Springer and Carlos Correa in 2020 and 2021. Rather than trade Springer or Correa, the Astros maxed out on their service time, vying for a championship, instead of dealing them for prospect capital.

Both players departed as free agents after finishing up the final year of their respective contracts.

Given how successful Houston has been, there doesn’t appear to be any reason for the club to start rebuilding, especially after coming within a game of returning to its fifth World Series in seven years.

Nightengale also does not expect it to be a very active offseason for the Astros.