Detroit Tigers Reportedly Have Alex Bregman Contingency Plan in Place
The Detroit Tigers have added some depth to their roster during the offseason, but they have not yet committed to a free agent with a multi-year contract.
Starting pitcher Alex Cobb and second baseman Gleyber Torres have both signed one-year, $15 million deals in free agency.
That kind of contract fits the mold of what the Tigers have been doing with their pitching staff in recent offseasons. They need some more offensive production, and they are hoping the former All-Star can return near that form.
However, Detroit does not sound like they are done spending.
They have been heavily connected to free agent Alex Bregman, a two-time World Series champion with the Houston Astros. Not wanting to go over the tax, his former team has accepted the harsh reality of not being able to bring back another homegrown player.
With A.J. Hinch as their manager, the Tigers are one of the teams right in the thick of the Bregman sweepstakes. However, he isn’t the only hitter that the team has their eyes on.
According to Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press, the team has emerged as one of the suitors for Baltimore Orioles free agent outfielder Anthony Santander.
The market for the switch-hitting slugger is starting to grow, as the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Angels have all been mentioned as known suitors.
He picked a wonderful time to produce career-high numbers in home runs and RBI with 44 and 102. That earned him his first All-Star selection and he won the Silver Slugger Award for the first time.
Alas, Detroit isn’t considered a frontrunner for Santander at the moment. Right now, the Angels and Blue Jays are in the driver’s seat because the Tigers view him as a backup plan should they not land Bregman.
With so much left-handed hitting already in their lineup, both players would help balance things out. Santander could take over as the everyday right fielder with the Tigers, pushing the left-handed hitting Kerry Carpenter into a full-time designated hitter role in a platoon with Matt Vierling and Spencer Torkelson, who are right-handed.
Their salary cap situation makes it conceivable that Bregman and Santander could be signed this offseason. But, all indications are that Detroit is only going to land one of them and are all-in on Bregman.
If that pursuit fails, expect them to pursue the Orioles outfielder with the same aggression.
At least one splash acquisition was expected from the franchise after their unprecedented run in the second half of the 2024 campaign. It has taken a little longer than people might have expected, but Bregman or Santander would certainly qualify as such.
Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. In addition to his work here, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.