It sure sounds like Dana Brown has given up all hope in Alex Bregman sweepstakes

Pitchers and catchers are beginning to report for their teams' respective spring training facilities. As is the case almost every year, there are still some big names sitting on the free agent market. The most notable is Alex Bregman, a two-time World Series champion and a Platinum Glove Award winner.

Bregman hasn't received the offer he was looking for from interested teams, hence the reason for him sitting on the market. But in recent days, there was growing optimism that Bregman could potentially return to the Houston Astros. That started with it being floated that Jose Altuve could get shifted to left field in 2025, with Isaac Paredes moving to second base. That would reopen the door for Bregman to take over third again, with Christian Walker manning first.

Even with the optimism, Astros general manager Dana Brown's comments tell a different story.

While speaking with reporters on Tuesday at the team's annual media luncheon, Brown referred to Bregman in the past tense, at one point saying they "lost Bregman," per The Athletic's Chandler Rome.

Dana Brown sounds like a GM who knows Alex Bregman is signing elsewhere

Brown was asked to clarify his comments referring to Bregman in the past tense, and said about the third baseman "we're continuing to have internal conversations because he's still available," per Rome. Brown also stressed that he's unsure if Astros owner Jim Crane spoke with Bregman's agent, Scott Boras.

From the sounds of it, the Astros are prepared for Bregman to join another team before the start of the 2025 season.

The Detroit Tigers have been linked to Bregman throughout the offseason. There is an obvious fit, as his former manager A.J. Hinch is currently the skipper in Detroit. The Tigers have been in negotiations with Bregman throughout the winter, but nothing has ever come close. Even after the Tigers brought back starting pitcher Jack Flaherty on a two-year, $35 million deal, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports that the team is still interested in bringing Bregman in.

Other teams linked to Bregman are the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, and Toronto Blue Jays, but not as prominently as the Astros and Tigers.

The Astros aren't the only team that pivoted away from reuniting with their star. The New York Mets made additional moves this offseason as talks with first baseman Pete Alonso went nowhere. Even with the signings of A.J. Minter and Jesse Winker, there is still a chance that Alonso and the Mets will ultimately reach an agreement.

When it comes to Bregman and the Astros, Brown makes it seem as though the third baseman's time in Houston is trending towards reaching an end.