Alex Bregman leaves no doubt what his future is with the Astros

We knew heading into October that these playoffs were going to be something of a last ride for the Astros core that propelled the team to seven straight ALCS appearances from 2017 through 2023. Many members of those teams have already moved on, and with Alex Bregman and Justin Verlander set to hit free agency, odds were good that the team would look substantially different when it took the field on Opening Day 2025.

That ride wound up being shorter than just about anyone expected, with Houston getting swept in two games at home by the Detroit Tigers in one of the most shocking results of the Wild Card Round. Now comes an offseason full of uncomfortable decisions — although based on Bregman's comments after the Game 2 loss, one of those decisions may already be made.

It sounds like Alex Bregman doesn't think he'll be back with the Astros in 2025

There's still, of course, a chance that Bregman resigns with the Astros in free agency. Houston is the only city he's ever known in his professional career, and who knows what the market will bring. Based on what the third baseman had to say on Wednesday night, though, that seems like a long shot right about now.

First, Bregman demurred when asked by the media about his future, saying "I’ll just let [agent] Scott [Boras] and them handle that this offseason. I haven’t even really thought about it.” Then he took to X and said a few words that definitely make it sound like he thinks he'll be playing elsewhere next season.

That certainly doesn't feel like it's something you'd say if you planned on coming back next spring, and Bregman seemed to be in a particularly reflective mood in the locker room after the loss.

Which makes sense: Boras is Bregman's agent, for starters, and we know how ... let's say unsentimental his negotiating style and advice to his clients can be. There's also the simple financial reality: There are plenty of other holes that need to be filled on this roster, from the bullpen to the starting rotation (just about every Houston starter not named Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown will be coming back from and arm injury next season) to first base. Fitting in a megadeal for Bregman will be tough, and that's not even to mention the deal Kyle Tucker will command as he hits free agency after next season.

So it's no wonder that GM Dana Brown is doing his best to play things as vague and noncommittal as possible, no matter how badly longtime teammate Jose Altuve may want Bregman back next season. It's going to be awfully hard to make the math work, and despite Bregman's desire to focus on this season and this team, even he seems to have realized it.