The Astros have agreed to sign free agent Michael Brantley with a $ 32 million two-year deal that will bring him back to Houston. Fox Bark Mark Berman 26 reported. Jim Bowden, head of CBS Sports, confirmed the deal. The reported deal may join a whirlwind day on the Brantley front. Earlier Wednesday, Hazel Mae and Ken Rosenthal reported that Brantley had reached a three-year deal with the Blue Jays, but both later returned the reports.
The Jays are said to be interested in Brantley, and the general expectation was that they would conclude an agreement. That, however, does not appear to have happened, and Brantley will reportedly be back with the Astros again. If the deal is finalized, it will be the second time Brantley has signed a $ 32 million two-year deal with the Astros. He signed the first one in December 2018.
George Springer signed a $ 150 million deal with the Blue Jays on Tuesday night to prevent the Brantley deal from a second Astros fielder to Toronto this season.
Brantley, who turns 34 in May, entered the winter by CBS Sports as the eighth best free agent available. Here is what we wrote at the time:
If Brantley had scored another hit in 2017 – literally another – he would have come in next spring as the only player to bat 300 or better in four consecutive seasons. Oh dear. The twist and twist of Brantley’s play is that he’s a constant, professional hit. He offers a good average, a healthy bunch of walks and over 50 hits on the extra base. Brantley was used primarily as a DH last season for the first time in his career; this will probably not be the last time. A team interested in maximizing its total value should also consider parking itself against leftists. For unknown reasons he feels much older than he: he turns 34 in mid-May next year.
Over the past three seasons, Brantley has batted 309 / .368 / .484 (125 OPS +) with 44 home runs and 17 stolen bases (on 22 tries).
The Astros ended the shortened 2020 season with a record of 29-31 under first-year manager Dusty Baker, but they qualified for the extended national season and advanced for a fourth consecutive year to the ALCS, despite an extraordinary number of injuries . Brantley was a big part of their relative successes, and his return improves Houston’s chances in 2021.