All this speculation about who hires whom, and where, is little more than. Hiring at a frenzied pace matched the contour of the temporary post-covid bubble, and has re-bounded to a more natural pace.
Don't get wrapped around the axle with pathways. Legacy carriers really don't care which regional it was, for which you flew. They do care about your PIC experience with that regional and a clean FAA and employment record.
If you think legacy carriers (et al) care much about the path you came through in your early flying, you're mistaken. If you think you're anything more than a dime-a-dozen applicant, you're also mistaken. Flush the notion of shortcuts to the top, put in the work and the years, and apply. You'll be hired, when you're hired. The rest is mental machination.