Tigers Expected by Top Insider to Miss Out Again in Pursuit of Dream Free Agent

Baseball's most knowledgable insider does not expect the Detroit Tigers to land Alex Bregman.

Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Detroit Tigers came into the offseason with the lofty goal of landing the same free agent target they missed on a year ago, albeit narrowly.

With Alex Bregman taking the opt-out in his contract from the Boston Red Sox and hitting the open market again, one of the biggest impacts was Detroit getting the chance to chase him again. The Tigers finished second in the Bregman race a year ago with a six-year offer around $170 million.

Bregman is even on record as saying for most of the offseason, it was his belief he was headed to the Motor City until Boston swooped in with the offer that paid him $40 million annually with the chance to opt out.

Now, a year later Detroit still has a need at third base and Bregman looms once more for Scott Harris to finish the job. But baseball's most in the know insider Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription required) dropped a hint Monday that he does not see the three-time All-Star changing his mind.

Rosenthal Believes Tigers Are Told No Again by Bregman

Oct 31, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Fox Sports reporter Ken Rosenthal during the Arizona Diamondbacks game against the Texas Rangers in game four of the 2023 World Series at Chase Field. | Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

"Bregman instead chose a three-year, $120 million deal with opt-outs from the Boston Red Sox, and is now a free agent again, albeit one year older entering his age 32 season," Rosenthal wrote. "If Bregman said no once, he likely would say no again, presuming he had a competitive offer from a preferred destination, which likely will be the case."

Rosenthal brings up a valid point in that it seems if Bregman wanted to join Detroit last offseason, he had every opportunity to do so a year ago. What has changed in the last calendar year which would make him change his mind?

For one, they have proven they are a legitimate contender in the American League with a hole that Bregman can fill to potentially put them over the top, but is that alone enough?

Can Tigers Change Bregman's Mind This Time Around?

Boston Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman fields his position against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park, May 14, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

On paper, Detroit has everything Bregman could want. An opening at third base, a reunion with the manager he enjoyed his most productive seasons with, a young team in need of a leader to take charge of the clubhouse and an ability to compete.

For whatever reason, though, all of this was not enough a year ago and did not allow the Tigers to land Bregman despite a compelling pursuit that ended with him in a Red Sox uniform.

Boston is going to attempt to ensure the result is the same this offseason, while the Chicago Cubs loom as a threat as well. Whether or not Detroit even has the same level of interest as it did a year ago remains to be seen, but it seems if they do they will face challenges.

If the Tigers are determined to land their new third baseman in Bregman, they had better bring something different to the negotiations than they did last offseason. Otherwise, things will likely end similarly to how they already did a year ago.