There is a real possibility that third baseman Alex Bregman has played his last game for the Houston Astros. He seemed to acknowledge this on Wednesday following the team’s exit from the postseason following their loss in the wild-card round to the Detroit Tigers.

Bregman will hit the open market as a free agent for the first time in his career this season after failing to agree to a new contract with the team. He sent a short message to Astros fans on social media after the team’s season-ending loss.

“Thank you Houston,” wrote Bregman, who kept his message short and sweet.

There is no guarantee that Bregman will leave Houston this offseason. After the loss, he admitted that he hoped to appear in an Astros uniform again in 2025 and beyond.

“I hope so, but we’ll see what happens,” Bregman told reporters. “I’ll let (officer Scott Boras) and the team handle that. It’s obviously a free choice, and I’ve never experienced that before. I’ll let him and all the teams handle that.”

Longtime teammate Jose Altuve was more direct in his assessment of Bregman’s future.

“I don’t want the idea to come to mind when I think about the last match with Breggy,” Altuve said. “I have every confidence that he will be our third baseman next year. He has to be. We won’t be the same organization without him.”

Bregman, a two-time All-Star, has been the Astros’ third baseman since making his debut in 2016. He won two World Series’ with the organization and served as a cornerstone of the franchise during his tenure.

In 2024, he slashed .260/.315/.453 with 26 home runs, 75 RBIs and 151 hits while posting a 4.1 WAR. His future is uncertain, although it is clear that those within the organization would be thrilled to see him back, as would the fans.