There’s a good chance Alex Bregman, the star third baseman, has already played his final game with the Houston Astros. After the team’s postseason ended with their wild-card round loss to the Detroit Tigers, Bregman seemed to hint at the possibility on Wednesday.
Bregman, for the first time in his career, is heading into free agency this offseason after he couldn’t come to terms on a new deal with the Astros. Following the season-ending defeat, he left a short message for Astros fans on social media.
“Thank you Houston,” Bregman wrote, keeping it simple but heartfelt:
Many saw this post as a sign that Bregman could be leaving this offseason. Now 30, Bregman enters free agency without reaching a contract extension with the Astros. He’s represented by Scott Boras, and with his skills, he’s likely to be the top third baseman on the market, potentially landing a massive deal.
A two-time All-Star, Alex Bregman has been with the Astros since his debut in 2016, playing a key role in two of their World Series victories. Though he’s been a significant part of the team’s success, Bregman has been working to increase his market value and might be ready to follow the money to a new team.
“Thanks for the great years!” one fan commented.
“No thank you!! We want you to retire in Houston,” added another.
“Thank you Alex for all you’ve done! Hope you’ll be back next season my guy. Always rooting for you,” another fan wrote.
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Alex Bregman’s impact on the Astros spans nearly a decade, contributing to four World Series appearances and two championships. His teammate, veteran second baseman Jose Altuve, knows how crucial Bregman has been and how his absence could shake the team. But Altuve is optimistic that Bregman will return.
“I don’t want to think about my last game with Breggy,” Altuve said after the loss, according to 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 Altuve can’t do much about it as a player, he believes the Astros’ management should do everything they can to keep Bregman on the team.
“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 also noted that Altuve intends to personally deliver that message to Astros owner Jim Crane.
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Picture Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
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