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Alex Bregman could have played his final game in a Houston Astros uniform on Wednesday after nine years with the team.
The Astros dropped a must-win game against the Detroit Tigers in the American League wild-card series, ending their season and perhaps Bregman’s time in Houston. Ahead of his free agency this offseason, Bregman posted a message on social media that seemed to indicate that he’s on his way out.
“Thank you Houston,” he wrote on X.
Bregman has been a cornerstone of the organization for nearly a decade, helping the team reach four World Series and win two. In the eyes of his teammate, veteran second baseman Jose Altuve, his departure from Houston would upend the team, though Altuve has faith he won’t leave.
“I don’t want to think about my last game with Breggy,” he said after the loss, per MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart. “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.”
While there’s only so much Altuve can do from a player standpoint, he believes the front office needs to do whatever it can to bring Bregman back.
“He gave a lot to this organization so it’s time for us as an organization to pay him back and make him stay here,” Altuve said, per The Athletic’s Chandler Rome.
Rome noted that Altuve said he plans to deliver that message to Astros owner Jim Crane.
Per Chron’s Michael Shapiro, Houston general manager Dana Brown said he and Bregman’s agent, Scott Boras, plan to have some “good conversations” this offseason and that he would “love for” Bregman to stay with the Astros.
Houston will need to put together an enticing deal for Bregman, though. He had 26 homers, 75 RBI and a .260 batting average in 2024 and is likely to get plenty of offers this winter.
Bregman’s message on social media seems to prelude his Houston exit, but there’s a long offseason ahead that could see the Astros retain the veteran who has been of great value over the past nine seasons.