Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown revealed that discussions with free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman were at a standstill, which led to the team exploring other options.

"I won't get into specifics but I feel like the negotiations stalled," Brown said on Monday, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic. "I feel like we made a really competitive offer and showed that we wanted him back. But we had to pursue other options. We couldn't just sit there."

On Dec. 13, the Astros traded outfielder Kyle Tucker to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for a package that included third baseman Isaac Paredes. The team subsequently signed first baseman Christian Walker to a three-year, $60 million contract.

Paredes and Walker are both set to receive starting infield positions in 2025, drastically decreasing the likelihood of a return for Bregman.

"I won't get into anymore but to say Paredes is going to play third and Walker is going to play first," Brown said, via Rome.

Houston also reportedly pursued St. Louis Cardinals star third baseman Nolan Arenado on the trade market, but the deal couldn't be completed after Arenado refused to waive his no-trade clause.

Bregman spent each of the first nine years of his career with the Astros, making two All-Star appearances and winning a pair of World Series titles. He holds the No. 6 spot on Houston's all-time home runs leaderboard and ranks No. 9 on the team's all-time RBIs list.

In 2024, he hit .260 with 26 homers and 75 RBIs despite posting a career-low .768 OPS.

The length of a potential new contract may have been the sticking point in talks between both sides, as ESPN's Jeff Passan reported that the Astros didn't "want to stretch" their offer to Bregman any longer than six years.

While Houston may no longer be an option, it shouldn't be too difficult for the 30-year-old to find a new home in free agency. The New York Yankees, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers and Toronto Blue Jays have all been linked to Bregman by MLB.com's Mark Feinsand.

Meanwhile, the Astros appear to be content with moving forward with Paredes and Walker at the corners.