Wednesday may not have only been the end of the season for the Houston Astros. There seems to be a good chance it ended one franchise legend's Astros tenure.
The Astros fell 5-2 in Game 2 of their Wild Card series against the red-hot Detroit Tigers, managed by former Houston skipper A.J. Hinch. That meant the Astros would miss out on the American League Championship Series for the first time since 2017.
2017 was also the full-season debut for third baseman Alex Bregman, who has a pair of World Series rings and a shelf full of individual honors during his time as an Astro. Houston is the only organization Bregman has ever known to this point, but that may change in the near future.
On Wednesday night after the loss, Bregman posted a brief note to Astros fans on X. And though it can be a mistake to read too far into an athlete's words on social media, Bregman's sure felt like a goodbye.
"Thank you Houston," Bregman said plainly.
It was only three simple words, but those words could be stamped permanently in the minds of Astros fans if Bregman ends up playing elsewhere in 2025. And there are a lot of context clues that a split is on the horizon.
Bregman and agent Scott Boras are reportedly seeking a $200 million contract, according to the Houston Chronicle. Not only are the Astros already third in overall payroll, but they have to worry about possible extensions for Kyle Tucker and Framber Valdez before both hit free agency next year.
When a beloved franchise icon hits free agency, there's always a chance the two sides could work something out. But it sure seems like Bregman wants to get paid every dollar he can find, and that might not be in the cards for the Astros right now.
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