Star third baseman Alex Bregman returns to Houston, the organization he spent nine seasons with, for the first time tonight when the Red Sox take on the Astros at Daikin Park.
It’s a city where he had incredible highs—and excruciating lows. Bregman helped Houston win the 2022 World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies, but he was also a part of the 2017 team that illegally stole signs in the regular season and playoffs en route to a championship.
Boston manager Alex Cora, the Astros bench coach in 2017 during the cheating scandal, got candid while discussing Bregman’s return to Houston.
“It should be great. A lot of fun memories. What he did for that organization throughout the years is amazing,” he said, per Tim Healey of the Boston Globe. “Obviously, we will always live with that dark cloud over our heads (because of the 2017 season). We know that. We have learned to live with it.”
“But what he did after that is what really got my attention. He turned the page and he decided to lead the organization the right way and try to win a championship and he did.”
2017 was only Bregman’s second year in the league, and since then the 10-year veteran has made three All-Star appearances and won an additional World Series championship. He has already played against his former team, earning a sweep at Fenway Park to start the month.
Bregman had just two singles and one walk during that series, but he’s batting .298/.380/.531 for the season with 14 home runs and 46 RBI. After a slow start to the season, the Red Sox have surged to second place in the AL East, sitting only 4.0 games behind Toronto.
Houston, which leads its own respective division, will be a good test for Boston among the drama of Bregman’s return.
