Sports
Bye, bye Bregman? Astros angle to keep cornerstone third baseman
Sep 24, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (2) celebrates his home run with teammates in the dugout against Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Logan Gilbert (36) (not pictured) in the first inning at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman has the support of his manager and teammates, but the impending free agent doesn’t know if he will be back next season.
“I hope so,” Bregman said Wednesday after the Astros were eliminated by the Detroit Tigers in a two-game sweep in the American League wild-card series in Houston.
“We’ll see what happens. I’m going to let Scott (Boras, his agent) and the team handle that. Obviously, it’s free agency, and I’ve never really experienced that before.”
A career Astro since Houston selected him second overall in the 2015 MLB Draft out of LSU, tBregman earned $30.5 million in each of the past two seasons. He’s expected to be one of the top hitters on the free-agent market, with the Astros having a five-day window to exclusively negotiate with him and any of their other free-agent players following the end of the World Series.
Manager Joe Espada said Thursday at the team’s end-of-season news conference that he hopes Bregman makes a deal to remain an Astro.
“I think what makes this team really good is the character of the people that we have in that clubhouse, and he’s one of the best I’ve ever been around,” Espada said. “So I would love to have Alex Bregman playing third base for us next year.”
Bregman’s fellow All-Star infielder, second baseman Jose Altuve, said Wednesday that he would be “heartbroken” if Bregman left the organization.
“I don’t want to think about my last game with Breggy,” he said. “I’m pretty confident he’s going to be our third baseman next year. We have to. We’re not going to be the same organization without him. In my mind, there’s not a chance this is the last game.”
General manager Dana Brown, who will be part of the negotiations, said the organization will have conversations with Bregman about coming back, but on Thursday he didn’t provide a timeline.
“He’s been a really good player and he’s been outstanding in terms of helping this team play a lot of postseason games and he’s posted each and every year,” Brown said. “So that weighs heavily. We will have some discussions with Boras and also Bregman. We’ve had some small talk, but ultimately, we’ll have some discussions. We know what he means to this organization.”
Bregman, who turns 31 at the start of the 2025 season (March 30), started slowly in 2024. He finished with a .260 batting average, 26 home runs and 75 RBIs in 145 games while dealing with a right elbow ailment late in the season. His .315 on-base percentage was close to a career low. He had a .453 slugging percentage, and his .768 OPS was a career low.
He is a career .272 hitter with 191 homers and 663 RBIs in 1,111 regular-season games (2016-24). He was an All-Star in 2018 and 2019 and the Silver Slugger award winner for American League third basemen in 2019.
Bregman also has hit .238 in the postseason with 19 homers and 54 RBIs in 99 games from 2017-24 as Houston won the World Series in 2017 and 2022.
“Bregman is a special, special human and a special baseball player,” Brown said. “I hope I see him back here, that’s all I’ve got to say.”
After the Astros’ season ended on Wednesday, Bregman talked to his teammates in the clubhouse about how proud he was of them and their improvement over the past six months. He said it was “one of the funnest seasons I’ve had.”
Later, he told reporters that he hadn’t thought about free agency.
“I haven’t really had a chance to process this,” Bregman said. “I was planning on being here tomorrow.”
Later Wednesday, he posted on his X account: “Thank you Houston.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Ryan Preece returning to RFK Racing in 2027
May 3, 2026; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Roush Fenway Keselowski driver Ryan Preece (60) is introduced before the start of the 2026 Wurth 400 cup race at Texas Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Ryan Preece will remain behind the wheel of RFK Racing’s No. 60 Ford during the 2027 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Team co-owner Brad Keselowski confirmed the decision Saturday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, saying RFK exercised an option in Preece’s multiyear contract several months ago.
“We’re going to continue to keep him as a part of the family for a while,” Keselowski said.
Preece joined RFK Racing in 2025 after spending two seasons with Stewart-Haas Racing. He narrowly missed the playoffs in his first year with the team but had his best Cup campaign, earning three top-five finishes and finishing 18th in the final standings.
The 35-year-old Connecticut native is again 18th in points entering Sunday’s Brickyard 400. He has four top-10 finishes through the first 21 races of the season as he continues pursuing his first career Cup Series playoff berth.
Preece has made 243 Cup Series starts over nine seasons, earning two poles and 33 top-10 finishes. He is still looking for his first points-paying win at NASCAR’s top level.
–Field Level Media
Sports
ATP roundup: Quentin Halys blasts 17 aces, wins Generali Open for first crown
Mar 24, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Quentin Halys (FRA) hits a forehand against Alexander Zverev (GER) (not pictured) on day eight of the 2026 Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Frenchman Quentin Halys delivered 17 aces and earned his first career title with a solid 6-4, 7-6 (6) victory over defending champion Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan in the Generali Open final at Kitzbuhel, Austria on Saturday.
Halys, 29, turned pro in 2012 and had played in just other ATP final — losing to Italy’s Matteo Berrettini in the 2024 Swiss Open. Halys won 86.8% of his first-serve points (33 of 38) and didn’t face a single break point.
Top-seeded Bublik led 6-5 in the second-set tiebreaker but couldn’t convert a set point. Halys then scored two more points to finish the match.
Bublik had six aces and saved 5 of 6 break points. He hadn’t lost a set this week prior to the title match and was looking for his 10th career ATP crown.
Estoril Open
Fourth-seeded Alexander Blockx of Belgium rallied for a 5-7, 7-6 (1), 7-6 (5) victory over second-seeded Luciano Darderi of Italy in the semifinals at Portugal to reach the first ATP final of his career.
Blockx, 21, recorded eight aces and saved 8 of 14 break points while sliding past Darderi. In the third-set tiebreaker, Darderi scored the first four points before Blockx turned things around and won seven of eight to close the match.
Blockx will face Luca Van Assche, who posted a 6-4, 7-5 victory over fellow Frenchman Hugo Gaston. Van Assche won the final two games to close out the match in straight sets.
The final will also be the first for the 22-year-old Van Assche. The win over Gaston came in his first ATP semifinal.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Sean McVay says Aaron Donald still weighing Rams comeback
Former Pittsburgh Panther and retired NFL defensive tackle Aaron Donald waves to the crowd while walking out onto the field during his jersey number retirement ceremony during halftime of the Pittsburgh Panthers vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish game at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA on November 15, 2025. Aaron Donald is undergoing an NFL-level training program as he considers ending his retirement, but Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay said no decision has been made.
McVay provided an update Saturday as Rams players reported for training camp, explaining that Donald is following a demanding and carefully structured routine similar to the one he used during his playing career.
The process is intended to show the 35-year-old whether his body can withstand the physical demands of another season after two years away from the game.
McVay said he genuinely does not know which direction Donald will choose. The Rams, however, are prepared to explore a reunion if the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year decides he is ready.
“If he feels good, then you guys know he’s going to be ready to rock,” McVay said.
Donald retired in March 2024 after spending all 10 of his NFL seasons with the Rams. He recorded 111 sacks, earned eight first-team All-Pro selections and was named to the Pro Bowl in every season of his career.
The possibility of a comeback emerged after Los Angeles began considering a trade for star pass rusher Myles Garrett. McVay contacted Donald for his opinion of Garrett, and the conversation eventually shifted toward whether Donald might be interested in playing alongside him.
The Rams acquired Garrett in June, adding the reigning Defensive Player of the Year to a defense that now could become even more imposing if Donald returns.
“But this is his decision,” McVay said. “He’s earned the right to be able to do it on his terms. And that’s why I think you guys are seeing us take this approach. But I did not ever really think this would be something, but I’m not going to sit here and act like I’m not excited about the possibility of it.”
Donald last played during the 2023 season, finishing with eight sacks and 53 tackles while earning another first-team All-Pro selection.
McVay initially thought Donald was done for good, as the defensive tackle said he felt fulfilled after retirement. However, his stance has shifted enough for Donald to consider testing himself physically again, though McVay made clear that walking away once more would be fully respected.
“He doesn’t owe us anything,” McVay said.
–Field Level Media
Ryan Preece returning to RFK Racing in 2027
ATP roundup: Quentin Halys blasts 17 aces, wins Generali Open for first crown
