Insider Says Detroit Tigers Are Team Most Aggressively Pursuing Alex Bregman
The Detroit Tigers headed into this free agency period with the hope from fans that they would aggressively pursue improvements after a special run to end the season showed team decision makers that they aren't far off from contending.
To this point, that hope has not really happened. The major acquisition for the Tigers so far has been in the starting rotation with a $15 million deal for right-hander Alex Cobb which did not exactly jolt excitement through the fanbase. After the Cobb deal, Detroit decision makers pretty openly stated they were likely done adding starting pitching, dashing any hopes the team could try to pursue the top arms available.
But at least one player who was circled for months headed into the winter to be a perfect fit for the Tigers is still available in Houston Astros star third baseman Alex Bregman. The Astros moves to this point have all pointed away from the possibility of a reunion with Bregman, but Houston was of course not the only suitor for the two-time All-Star. One of the major contenders has been the Boston Red Sox who would likely be signing Bregman to move him to second base. Despite that, Red Sox insider Rob Bradford said on Monday that Detroit is the one most after him.
"Alex Bregman also continues to be a [Boston] target, with Detroit seemingly representing the club most aggressively trying to sign the infielder," Bradford wrote.
The fit makes a ton of sense with third base a huge need for the Tigers along with the history between Tigers manager A.J. Hinch and Bregman, who won a World Series together in 2017 and made a return trip to the Fall Classic in 2019. Not to mention the fact that Detroit would love to add a veteran presence with a winning mentality like Bregman to a young team who is still trying to figure out how to take the next step and become a true contender.
Whether or not Bradford's report is accurate or not is a whole other question, however. In order for the Tigers to actually land Bregman, it's never felt like they were going to be at the forefront of the market and making aggressive offers. What would be significantly more likely would be Detroit checking in, waiting it out, and swooping in at the last second if Bregman's market didn't develop the way he had hoped.
It's also possible the Tigers do have the best offer on the table currently and Bregman prefers to land elsewhere, putting teams in a position where they have to decide exactly how much they're willing to spend.
Regardless of the reality of the situation, it seems there is still legitimate interest in Detroit to bring Bregman in. How realistic it is for that interest to turn into a signature is an entirely different discussion.
