Four Options at Third Base if Detroit Tigers Miss Out on Superstar Free Agent
The Detroit Tigers head into the offseason with a defined list of areas to improve, and one of the goals at the top of the list is the third base position.
Ranking well outside the top-20 across baseball in OPS from the hot corner, it's been a black hole for Detroit for multiple seasons now. After parting ways with Gio Urshela during the season and relying on a platoon throughout the incredible run of success down the stretch, an everyday third baseman is on every Tigers fan's Christmas list this winter.
Of course, everyone understandably wants Alex Bregman. But with latest reports indicating Detroit is going to have some serious competition with not only the Houston Astros but potentially the Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Philadelphia Phillies, and more, landing the star is going to be extremely difficult. If the Tigers can't sign their dream free agent in Bregman, here are four other possible options both in free agency and the trade market:
Alec Bohm
Bohm finds his way onto the trade block after what was looking like the best season of his career and his first-ever All-Star appearance but things turned ugly down the stretch. Declining performance and maturity questions led to Bohm's benching in the playoffs and complicates what a possible return would look like for the 28-year-old. Regardless, Bohm presents an instant upgrade to Detroit and adds a high-ceiling right-handed bat into the lineup.
Nolan Arenado
The idea of Arenado being traded to the Tigers has picked up steam over the last few days with mixed reactions from fans. On one hand, he is a ten-time Gold Glove winner and eight-time All-Star as well as being one of the best third basemen of the generation. On the other hand, he's about to turn 34 years old and his numbers have started to dip over the last two years. If Detroit feels like they can get anything close to the 2022 version of Arenado - when he finished second in NL MVP voting - this is a slam dunk.
Jose Iglesias
Admittedly, this one is a bit of a bargain bin option, but Iglesias was a fan favorite from 2013-2017 with the team when he was their shortstop and played some of the best baseball in his career. Now about to turn 35 years old, Iglesias came out of nowhere for a resurgent season with the Mets in 2024 after signing a minor league deal. Slotting in due to need, he played in 85 games with New York and had a batting average of .337 with an OPS of .830. A reunion with Iglesias won't knock the socks off of Tigers fans, but if he can even be 75 percent of the player he was in 2024, he's a costless upgrade.
Willy Adames
If Detroit strikes out on Bregman, why not make an even bigger splash in Adames? The Brewers superstar has been telling teams he is open to a position switch from short to third and he would have the ability to play both in the Motor City. With 32 home runs and 112 RBIs in what was a career season in 2024, he could be exactly the righty power hitter the Tigers need in order to balance out the lineup. This feels like a bit of a dream, but Adames and Detroit would be a perfect match.
