The infielder earned a $30.5 million salary in the last season of his previous five-year deal with the Astros. Houston is also making him a “primary target” in free agency, per McDaniel.

Bregman earned the first Gold Glove Award of his career in 2024 after leading AL third basemen with a .972 fielding percentage and 103 putouts.

He also finished the season as a Silver Slugger Award finalist after hitting 30 doubles, 26 home runs and 75 RBI last season.

After joining the Astros as the No. 2 pick in the 2015 draft, Bregman is now heading into free agency for the first time in his career.

The Astros extended a one-year qualifying offer of $21.05 million to Bregman on Monday. Bregman is expected to decline the offer by the deadline of Nov. 19, and should he sign with another team the Astros would receive a draft pick as compensation.

Should Bregman walk, the Astros could decide to promote top third baseman prospect Shay Whitcomb, who appeared in 20 games for the MLB club this season, or seek a replacement in free agency or the trade market.

The Nationals, meanwhile, are looking an upgrade at third base after José Tena recorded a 0.3 WAR, while Trey Lipscomb marked a -0.1 WAR, at the position last season.

Bregman, who marked a WAR of more than four for the third straight season in 2024, would present an upgrade for the Nationals on both offense and defense. But his acquisition will be an expensive proposition for the Nats.

The Athletic’s Jim Bowden recently projected that Bregman’s next contract will be comparable to Matt Chapman’s six-year, $151 million deal with the San Francisco Giants earlier this year or the eight-year, $260 million contract Nolan Arenado signed with the Colorado Rockies in 2019.