Detroit Tigers Target Named 'Most Overrated' Free Agent in MLB Free Agency
It's easy to suggest that the Detroit Tigers need to do whatever they can to land some of the top players on the market this winter. From one standpoint, that's more than fair.
However, considering there seems to be a lot of good building in this organization, they need to be smart in the moves they make.
Spending money just to spend often doesn't end well, as they've found out the hard way with guys like Javier Baez. That's the hard truth of the situation, but if the Tigers want to be better than that moving forward, they have to think about every single move they make under a different light.
That doesn't mean they shouldn't go out and sign some of the top guys available, as Detroit has a clear need for more talent. Factor that in with their improbable run during the second half of the season into the playoffs, and the Tigers look to be in as good of a position as many teams around Major League Baseball.
That's, of course, if the ownership group and front office are willing to up their payroll.
They've been linked to multiple players over the past few months, but Alex Bregman is at the top of that list. The star third baseman has a history with head coach A.J. Hinch, as Hinch coached Bregman during their time with the Houston Astros.
Detroit needs a long-term third baseman, and the 30-year-old could be just that.
However, Matt Higgins of Sportsnaut believes teams should be wary about signing him, naming him one of the "most overrated" players on the market.
"It’s hard to envision Bregman leaving the Houston Astros, but it’s possible as the two-time All-Star hits free agency. Bregman’s OPS and OPS+ have declined the last three seasons, and his walks decreased more than twofold compared to 2023 — from 92 to 44. Bregman will be 31 heading into the 2025 regular season. The Athletic’s Jim Bowden predicts Bregman will receive a seven-year, $185.5 million contract, but teams may hesitate given his declining numbers."
Perhaps the New Mexico native isn't among the top two to three third basemans in Major League Baseball, but there's still a strong argument that he is. When Bregman is at his best, there aren't many guys who can do what he does offensively at the position.
From the Tigers' standpoint, there shouldn't be much worry about him coming in and not producing. Even if his offensive production slows down a bit, he's a career 132 OPS+ bat.
There's a very good chance he's still a 25 plus home run guy in the middle of a lineup that needs a right-handed slugger.
The overrated tag is a bit unfair, but Detroit does have to consider it, as he had a slower year compared to past seasons.
