Detroit Tigers Must Overcome Substantial Obstacle To Land Dream Free Agent Target

The Detroit Tigers are seemingly still involved in what has felt like one of the longest free agency periods for a superstar in a very long time.

Going into the offseason, the Tigers were seen as an ideal suitor for Houston Astros star third baseman Alex Bregman for a multitude of reasons. From a need at the hot corner, a prior relationship with Detroit manager A.J. Hinch along with just being a winning baseball player from a championship organization who could help the Tigers take the next step, Bregman was always the dream target on the open market.

Months into the process for Bregman however, he still remains unsigned. And though it appeared this week the Boston Red Sox were closing in on a deal with the star, it has not happened yet and even Red Sox insiders are beginning to doubt the likelihood.

In a tweet reacting to a question asking about hope surrounding the Bregman pursuit, Chris Cotillo of Mass Live says he does not think anyone hoping for Boston to sign the two-time World Series champion should be extremely confident with regards to the chances it will happen.

It's quite the shift from seeming as if Bregman going to the Red Sox was on the cusp of happening to insiders who cover the team appearing to believe it's not going to happen.

If that is indeed accurate, the veteran simply may be running out of options, which is the exact type of situation the Tigers realistically needed in order to land him.

Detroit's offer was never going to be the biggest or most aggressive, but they have remained in touch throughout the process and almost lurked to the side waiting for Bregman to eventually decide that coming to the Motor City was ultimately his best option.

By all accounts, Bregman is unwilling to accept a shorter term deal with opt outs - something the Tigers would have been all over - but chances are Detroit has a standing longer term offer still out there in order to have remained involved in the process for this long.

It has seemed for weeks to be coming down to a Tigers and Red Sox race, but for whatever reason Bregman still has not made a decision.

Seemingly still trying to get a bigger number which teams are clearly unwilling to offer, Boston may have reached their breaking point, and if that's the case, it would erase Detroit's biggest challenger to their dream free agent target.