June 26, 2025 • 8 mins
Having himself an All-star season thus far, Jeremy Peña has raised his contract value drastically following the Astros' rebuilding stage here in Houston with the departure of a few veterans this past offseason. Batting at an average of .325 with an OBP of .380 and slugging at .495, has heightened the shortstops worth and have broached the conversation around $100M regarding contract negotiations. Breaking down the conversation and Boras' new signed client, Sean and Dan are joined by KPRC 's Ari Alexander discussing the possibilities of the Astros' signing Peña back and what may his future tend to look like if he sustains this level of great play.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
He is Ari, Alexander Ari, appreciate it, buddy, just as
you understand it. Where where did things stand at the
moment with Paine and the Astros even after the news
we had a couple of days ago about Scott Boris
being hired on.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
It looks like the way stand is on hold because
even though Scott Boris has done things with Astros players
in the past, Lands the Colors and Josel Tuba are
the two recent extensions pulls. Right now, it just feels
like everything is in a holding pattern because the deal
exam discussion over the past several months was between Payne's
(00:34):
former represented had been into and the Astros, And so
now Scott is evaluating it and station is this a
deal that we want to move forward with which I
would feel like is very unlucky or more leaning towards
Boris's mo which is Jeremy Payne likely unbelievable year. I
believe in this player. I think he can have two
(00:55):
having an years ago into free agency and get two
hundred plus million dollars.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
All right, I see both sides. If I'm the Astros,
I might want to wait and see if this is sustainable.
I mean that he keeps doing this year after year, right,
I mean, you know, like another year this one and
maybe now I get why they'll be patient with it.
There's no rush now. On the other side, if I
was his agent, Boris, I wouldn't take it. I would
twenty five million. I would bet on myself. So let
(01:20):
me ask you, is there any chance that he takes
twenty five million for five years or somewhere in that range.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
I would say there's a chance because this year Jeremy
spent the whole season interested in an extension, an open
Paana extension. And the way that he feels about Houston
is this is Intuito, where he has grown. He likes
it here, he likes his veterans, he gets along with
everybody he plays with, the World Series MVP of this team.
(01:49):
So from that standpoint, I don't think he has any issue.
He's making an extension staying in Houston long term. And
the deal that was discussed over the Tans was one
that was a five year deal which would take him
through his a several month two season and still give
him time to sign another good extende thirty good deal,
another free agent deal where he could maybe make another
(02:11):
sixty ninety one hundred million and retire with huge career
earning seventy eight. The deal that had been discussed was
set up. It was the win win deal. Dam so
the one get to sign him for a rate that
they felt was fair to the Astros, is gonna break
the bank and the last few of the two free
agent years at the end them and is the few
(02:33):
free agent years the end there would have been in
the high twenties from what I were, other than something
that sort of makes sense for both sides. But on
the other side, it's told he is, yes, he's having
his breakout year this year for paying is different than
the other he was that he has had. And if
you are the Astros, do you want to take that
wait in for a year. I don't think you can
(02:55):
in these kind of situations because the approach and that
with Hunter Brown and almost the same thing happened there
was you could have done the talk of the thought
of an extension with him prior to last seas you know,
and then he started horrendously and almost got you know,
set down to triple A and then he's in down
with the sinker and becomes what is going to be
(03:16):
an All star pitcher, and now this is the guy
that turns it already too expensive for you to extend
in two hundred plus million, and so at some you
know going to want to miss the boat with these guys,
and pre arbitrary here extension point, you don't buy out.
Arbitration years typically are team friendly, and so that necessarily
I think at this point you've kind of seen what
(03:37):
you need to see with Jeremy Paine. I don't ness
that the heater in the playoffs in twenty twenty two.
He's good in the club aout. He's the second best
player in baseball right now per b Wars, and you
know he has all of it in there, and so
even if he doesn't match that production like his floor,
is still a really good player. It's still a twenty
(03:58):
plus million dollar player. And looking around in the league in shortstops,
how many guys right now are better than they keep
in mind on the league. And when he's playing at
his worst, which was parts of last seam around the
twenty twenty three, that's still a three to four winning player.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
Yeah, all right, we're gonna get your connection check there
for a second to put you on hold, triple to
check with you is getting a little bit of skipping
on your end. But I mean all the information and
everything that Ari is laying out for us there, Sean,
I mean, he's one hundred percent right where you've got
a highly effective player being able to get it done
also offensively, defensively running the bases. But I mean a
(04:36):
guy that joas Boda even himself was able to identify
this year before the season to say clubhouse leader. A
guy that now it's his turn because Bregman's not here anymore.
You're looking for those guys to be able to step
up and step in and we'll continue. Now, all right,
we got you back. But I mean, how much of
a lot of this too is We talked about it
(04:57):
earlier that Bregman being a guy he gets a three
year deal, Pete Alonso, he was a under the gun
type of guy that got a shorter term deal. That
it's just unless your name is Otani and maybe a
couple of other guys, you're not getting that eight nine
ten year deal anymore.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Well, it doesn't have to be an eight nine ten
year deal. The shortstop contract that I think best compares
with what Jeremy Paynya could get, Like if he was
a free agent, let's say right now, and he's coming
off of this season, and he's at the age that
he would be a free agent anyway, which is age
twenty nine going into thirty. Is the Willia Domus deal.
That's not a Boris client, that's CAAA. But they did
(05:35):
a seven year, one hundred and eighty two million dollar deal,
and that seems right now to be in line with
what Paynya could get in free agency. I imagine that
the two hundred number is something that Scott, Boris and
Paynia had discussions of. When Boris is trying to convince
him to sign with Boris, Corp is saying, look, you're
(05:56):
playing great. You're a two hundred plus million dollars shortstop.
You know, Adamis got one eighty two. We can get
you two hundred inflation. A couple of years from now,
one hundred and eighty two million contracts is going to
be a two hundred million dollar contract, and so I
think that that's something you can look at. Bregman situation
was interesting because Alex is a very specific guy. Pete
(06:19):
Alonso's his market cratered a bit because he's sort of
a flawed player, right and he also wanted to stay
in New York. Alonso is not a very good defender.
He had the worst year of his career and his
platform year, which is obviously something you don't want as
a player, whereas Bregman was coming off a great year.
But you didn't have all that many teams that really
(06:40):
wanted to spend all that much money. They had a
lot of this money for Juan Soto because Juan Soto
is twenty six and this general rational player, where Alex
Bregman's a really good player. But they're sitting there looking
at their budget and going, I don't want to spend
two hundred million dollars for Alex Bregman, but I would
have spent five hundred million for Juan Soto. And so
that market kind of turned out in a weird way,
(07:00):
unfortunately for Bregman, and so they had to sign these
short term deals. Sometimes it works out. You'll get Matt Chapman,
you have the one year deal, and then he did
the extension the three year deal, I guess with the Ops,
and then did the extension under Scott Boris. So sometimes
it just works out that way. But also keep in
mind Jeremy Payne is a shortstop and if you look
(07:21):
at the shortstop market over the past few years, Danzby
Swanson signed one hundred and seventy five million dollar deal.
Xander Bogart signed a two hundred and eighty million dollar
deal at Damis. Like I mentioned, I think that there's
a runways here for him to get big money in
free agency.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Yeah, and you've been all over this story and we
appreciate you hopping on with us this morning to be
able to let us know some of those details.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
Again.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
He's Ari Alexander KPRC two Sports. You can find him there.
You can also find him on Twitter as well. He
is Ari Alexander, and the L in Alexander is a
number one, and he's got that blue check mark, so
you know it's him, all right. Appreciate it, Tom Buddy.
Always great to be able to catch up, dear, Thanks
for having me, guys,
He is Ari, Alexander Ari, appreciate it, buddy, just as
you understand it. Where where did things stand at the
moment with Paine and the Astros even after the news
we had a couple of days ago about Scott Boris
being hired on.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
It looks like the way stand is on hold because
even though Scott Boris has done things with Astros players
in the past, Lands the Colors and Josel Tuba are
the two recent extensions pulls. Right now, it just feels
like everything is in a holding pattern because the deal
exam discussion over the past several months was between Payne's
(00:34):
former represented had been into and the Astros, And so
now Scott is evaluating it and station is this a
deal that we want to move forward with which I
would feel like is very unlucky or more leaning towards
Boris's mo which is Jeremy Payne likely unbelievable year. I
believe in this player. I think he can have two
(00:55):
having an years ago into free agency and get two
hundred plus million dollars.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
All right, I see both sides. If I'm the Astros,
I might want to wait and see if this is sustainable.
I mean that he keeps doing this year after year, right,
I mean, you know, like another year this one and
maybe now I get why they'll be patient with it.
There's no rush now. On the other side, if I
was his agent, Boris, I wouldn't take it. I would
twenty five million. I would bet on myself. So let
(01:20):
me ask you, is there any chance that he takes
twenty five million for five years or somewhere in that range.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
I would say there's a chance because this year Jeremy
spent the whole season interested in an extension, an open
Paana extension. And the way that he feels about Houston
is this is Intuito, where he has grown. He likes
it here, he likes his veterans, he gets along with
everybody he plays with, the World Series MVP of this team.
(01:49):
So from that standpoint, I don't think he has any issue.
He's making an extension staying in Houston long term. And
the deal that was discussed over the Tans was one
that was a five year deal which would take him
through his a several month two season and still give
him time to sign another good extende thirty good deal,
another free agent deal where he could maybe make another
(02:11):
sixty ninety one hundred million and retire with huge career
earning seventy eight. The deal that had been discussed was
set up. It was the win win deal. Dam so
the one get to sign him for a rate that
they felt was fair to the Astros, is gonna break
the bank and the last few of the two free
agent years at the end them and is the few
(02:33):
free agent years the end there would have been in
the high twenties from what I were, other than something
that sort of makes sense for both sides. But on
the other side, it's told he is, yes, he's having
his breakout year this year for paying is different than
the other he was that he has had. And if
you are the Astros, do you want to take that
wait in for a year. I don't think you can
(02:55):
in these kind of situations because the approach and that
with Hunter Brown and almost the same thing happened there
was you could have done the talk of the thought
of an extension with him prior to last seas you know,
and then he started horrendously and almost got you know,
set down to triple A and then he's in down
with the sinker and becomes what is going to be
(03:16):
an All star pitcher, and now this is the guy
that turns it already too expensive for you to extend
in two hundred plus million, and so at some you
know going to want to miss the boat with these guys,
and pre arbitrary here extension point, you don't buy out.
Arbitration years typically are team friendly, and so that necessarily
I think at this point you've kind of seen what
(03:37):
you need to see with Jeremy Paine. I don't ness
that the heater in the playoffs in twenty twenty two.
He's good in the club aout. He's the second best
player in baseball right now per b Wars, and you
know he has all of it in there, and so
even if he doesn't match that production like his floor,
is still a really good player. It's still a twenty
(03:58):
plus million dollar player. And looking around in the league in shortstops,
how many guys right now are better than they keep
in mind on the league. And when he's playing at
his worst, which was parts of last seam around the
twenty twenty three, that's still a three to four winning player.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
Yeah, all right, we're gonna get your connection check there
for a second to put you on hold, triple to
check with you is getting a little bit of skipping
on your end. But I mean all the information and
everything that Ari is laying out for us there, Sean,
I mean, he's one hundred percent right where you've got
a highly effective player being able to get it done
also offensively, defensively running the bases. But I mean a
(04:36):
guy that joas Boda even himself was able to identify
this year before the season to say clubhouse leader. A
guy that now it's his turn because Bregman's not here anymore.
You're looking for those guys to be able to step
up and step in and we'll continue. Now, all right,
we got you back. But I mean, how much of
a lot of this too is We talked about it
(04:57):
earlier that Bregman being a guy he gets a three
year deal, Pete Alonso, he was a under the gun
type of guy that got a shorter term deal. That
it's just unless your name is Otani and maybe a
couple of other guys, you're not getting that eight nine
ten year deal anymore.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Well, it doesn't have to be an eight nine ten
year deal. The shortstop contract that I think best compares
with what Jeremy Paynya could get, Like if he was
a free agent, let's say right now, and he's coming
off of this season, and he's at the age that
he would be a free agent anyway, which is age
twenty nine going into thirty. Is the Willia Domus deal.
That's not a Boris client, that's CAAA. But they did
(05:35):
a seven year, one hundred and eighty two million dollar deal,
and that seems right now to be in line with
what Paynya could get in free agency. I imagine that
the two hundred number is something that Scott, Boris and
Paynia had discussions of. When Boris is trying to convince
him to sign with Boris, Corp is saying, look, you're
(05:56):
playing great. You're a two hundred plus million dollars shortstop.
You know, Adamis got one eighty two. We can get
you two hundred inflation. A couple of years from now,
one hundred and eighty two million contracts is going to
be a two hundred million dollar contract, and so I
think that that's something you can look at. Bregman situation
was interesting because Alex is a very specific guy. Pete
(06:19):
Alonso's his market cratered a bit because he's sort of
a flawed player, right and he also wanted to stay
in New York. Alonso is not a very good defender.
He had the worst year of his career and his
platform year, which is obviously something you don't want as
a player, whereas Bregman was coming off a great year.
But you didn't have all that many teams that really
(06:40):
wanted to spend all that much money. They had a
lot of this money for Juan Soto because Juan Soto
is twenty six and this general rational player, where Alex
Bregman's a really good player. But they're sitting there looking
at their budget and going, I don't want to spend
two hundred million dollars for Alex Bregman, but I would
have spent five hundred million for Juan Soto. And so
that market kind of turned out in a weird way,
(07:00):
unfortunately for Bregman, and so they had to sign these
short term deals. Sometimes it works out. You'll get Matt Chapman,
you have the one year deal, and then he did
the extension the three year deal, I guess with the Ops,
and then did the extension under Scott Boris. So sometimes
it just works out that way. But also keep in
mind Jeremy Payne is a shortstop and if you look
(07:21):
at the shortstop market over the past few years, Danzby
Swanson signed one hundred and seventy five million dollar deal.
Xander Bogart signed a two hundred and eighty million dollar
deal at Damis. Like I mentioned, I think that there's
a runways here for him to get big money in
free agency.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Yeah, and you've been all over this story and we
appreciate you hopping on with us this morning to be
able to let us know some of those details.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
Again.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
He's Ari Alexander KPRC two Sports. You can find him there.
You can also find him on Twitter as well. He
is Ari Alexander, and the L in Alexander is a
number one, and he's got that blue check mark, so
you know it's him, all right. Appreciate it, Tom Buddy.
Always great to be able to catch up, dear, Thanks
for having me, guys,
Popular Podcasts
Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club
Welcome to Bookmarked by Reese’s Book Club — the podcast where great stories, bold women, and irresistible conversations collide! Hosted by award-winning journalist Danielle Robay, each week new episodes balance thoughtful literary insight with the fervor of buzzy book trends, pop culture and more. Bookmarked brings together celebrities, tastemakers, influencers and authors from Reese's Book Club and beyond to share stories that transcend the page. Pull up a chair. You’re not just listening — you’re part of the conversation.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com