Detroit Tigers Pursuit of Star Free Agent Could Now Be Challenged by New York Mets
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It is no secret the Detroit Tigers would love to sign free agent Alex Bregman as the crown jewel of their offseason.
To this point, the team has been surprisingly quiet in free agency, adding only starting pitcher Alex Cobb and second baseman Gleyber Torres. Short-term commitments were made to both players, with them each signing a one-year, $15 million deal.
Solid veterans for sure, the Tigers are counting on each being able to stay healthy and bounce back in 2025 as they are set to play prominent roles in their plans moving forward.
They will help raise the team’s floor, but it is fair to wonder how much they move the needle.
Such a question wouldn’t exist with Bregman, who would fill a lot of holes the team still has. He would provide them with an everyday option at the hot corner, coming off the first Gold Glove Award-winning campaign of his career.
At the plate, he remains a consistent threat with legitimate power. Despite his slow start in 2024, he still managed to hit 26 home runs, his most in a season since 2019, to go along with 30 doubles.
That kind of extra-base prowess is something Detroit desperately needs for its lineup. Manufacturing runs was a struggle at times, as they managed to score only 21 in seven postseason games.
Bregman would be the perfect addition for this club, providing power from the right side of the plate in a lefty-heavy lineup.
However, their pursuit of him could be challenged by the New York Mets.
The National League East contenders made the biggest splash of all this offseason, signing Juan Soto to the largest contract in the history of sports. But, they are not done adding to the roster.
It has been reported that they are moving onto Plan B of their offseason plans, which means moving on from All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso, according to Andy Martino of SNY.
The Mets have pivoted to plan B, post-Alonso. They now consider it the most likely outcome that Alonso will sign elsewhere. They add Winker and will add a reliever, possibly a top one.
— Andy Martino (@martinonyc) January 16, 2025
They are going to take a similar approach to what the New York Yankees did when they lost Soto, spreading the money around to other areas of the roster.
That could mean jumping in on Bregman, a player they have been loosely connected to as a replacement for Alonso in the lineup. He would take over at the hot corner with Mark Vientos moving across the diamond to first base.
Another team potentially joining the sweepstakes for the star is bad news for the Tigers, who have seemingly been set to this point on a price they do not want to go above.
With New York now moving into the next phase of their offseason plans, Bregman could certainly be part of the pivot to replace Alonso’s production in the middle of their lineup.
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.