Detroit Tigers Free Agent Star Could Have Solid Position With Boston Red Sox
The Detroit Tigers headed into the offseason on the heels of getting as close as they've been to real contention in a very long time.
Coming within a game of their first ALCS appearance in a decade, the Tigers demonstrated they have a young core who's ready to take the next step if they can be supplemented by some outside talent. The playoff run gave fans hope the team would look to spend some real cash in free agency in order to bring in a star player to get Detroit to that next level, but it hasn't happening to this point.
Opting for more affordable one-year deals instead, the Tigers have not yet landed anyone fans were hoping for headed into the winter. But Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman - long seen as the perfect fit due to ability, positional need, and a veteran presence - is still available and the suitors are dropping.
Rumors connecting Bregman to the Boston Red Sox have been all over the place throughout the offseason, but it sure sounds like the team has real interest. One of the issues for the Red Sox was the presence of star third baseman Rafael Devers and how they'd work Bregman in, but it sure sounds like the team has a plan in place.
"Rafael Devers is our third baseman," Boston manager Alex Cora told NESN, bringing up his original plan for Bregman when he was on the Astros coaching staff. "Alex was a Gold Glove at third base, we all know that...but I always envisioned Alex as a Gold Glover second baseman. His size, the way he moves, it felt like [he will] be a second basemen but he has played third at a high level. We'll see where he ends up and where he ends up playing."
The Tigers were always seen as having a high advantage in the pursuit due to Bregman's close relationship with A.J. Hinch, but his ties to Cora make it almost a wash. As has always been the case, unless Bregman is simply extremely hesitant to play second base, this is going to come down to money.
Bregman has not received the kind of offer he's happy with yet and Detroit is perfectly content waiting him out until he decides he would rather come to the Motor City and stay at his natutal position.
But any thoughts that the Red Sox won't be able to fit Bregman into the infield should be discounted as silly, because that's exactly what they are.
