There's a real possibility star third baseman Alex Bregman has played his last game for the Houston Astros. He appeared to acknowledge as much on Wednesday following the team's exit from the postseason after their wild-card round loss to the Detroit Tigers.

Bregman is set to hit the open market as a free agent for the first time in his career this offseason, having failed to agree to a new contract with the team. He sent a brief message to Astros fans on social media after the team's season-ending loss.

"Thank you Houston," wrote Bregman, keeping his message short but sweet.

It's not certain that Bregman will leave Houston in the offseason. After the loss, he admitted he was hopeful he'd be back in an Astros uniform in 2025 and beyond.

"I hope so, but we'll see what happens," Bregman told reporters. "I’m gonna let (agent Scott Boras) and the team handle that. Obviously, it's free agency, and I've never experienced that before. I'll let him and all the teams handle that."

Longtime teammate Jose Altuve was more direct with his assessment of Bregman's future.

"I don't want to get to the idea thinking about last game with Breggy," said Altuve. "I'm pretty confident that he's going to be our third baseman next year. We have to. We're not going to be the same organization without him."

Bregman, a two-time All-Star, has been the Astros' third baseman since he debuted in 2016. He's won two World Series' with the organization, serving as a franchise cornerstone during his tenure.

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

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Alex Bregman Sends Short Message to Fans After Potential Final Game With Astros.