Detroit Tigers Projected to Sign Highly-Coveted Free Agent Slugger
The Detroit Tigers have had a fairly quiet offseason so far, which for a team that has high expectations, is a bit disappointing.
Coming into the winter, the Tigers were certainly a team to watch. Last year, Detroit went on one of the best stretches of baseball in the second half of a season in quite some time. They were able to reach the postseason and defeat the Houston Astros in the American League Wild Card Round as well.
Since the Tigers were just one win away from making it to the ALCS, the trajectory of the team has completely changed.
However, despite new and higher expectations, Detroit hasn’t made many moves this offseason. So far, the two most notable moves were to sign Alex Cobb and Gleyber Torres. However, both of them were just one-year deals.
If the Tigers are going to compete in the American League and prove that last season was no fluke, they could use some more help in their lineup, and likely a top-end-of-the-rotation starter.
Recently, Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report wrote about the situation surrounding Alex Bregman and Detroit. The talented third baseman has been linked to Detroit a lot this offseason, but he also has recently been linked to the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays. Rymer recently predicted that Bregman will end up choosing the Tigers over all others.
“As for the Tigers, Bregman and manager A.J. Hinch know each other from their time together in Houston. It also feels as if the buzz connecting them to Bregman has continued to build. The Blue Jays and Tigers make similar offers, but Bregman chooses Detroit.”
After years of playing in the postseason with the Astros, the slugger certainly will be prioritizing a team that he believes can compete. Considering Detroit knocked out Houston in 2024, the former All-Star knows that the Tigers can compete.
While Bregman and Detroit might not be close on what a contract looks like, there does seem to be mutual interest from both sides.
For the Tigers, Bregman is a perfect fit as a right-handed bat in a position of need. With a plethora of postseason experience, he checks a box there as well.
Detroit should really be prioritizing their pursuit of the former World Series Champion. While the Blue Jays or the Red Sox might be a bit more appealing from a financial standpoint, the Tigers offer Bregman a chance to compete with his former manager.
It will be interesting to see how his market continues to unravel, but the talented slugger is a great fit and should be a top priority for Detroit.
