Tigers Have Stiff Competition from Familiar Faces in Alex Bregman Sweepstakes
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The Detroit Tigers enter the offseason just as they did last year with one name at the top of their wish list who they still see as the perfect fit to add to their lineup and clubhouse.
Of course, Detroit was heavily involved in the pursuit of Alex Bregman a year ago and just could not get it across the finish line once the Boston Red Sox swooped in with a massive short-term deal. That deal contained opt outs though, and now the Tigers get déjà vu with Bregman hitting the market again.
Just as he was a year ago, Bregman's combination of an elite right-handed bat, excellent defense at Detroit's biggest position of need and the allure of adding a championship player to a young team looking to take the next step make him the dream target.
As the market begins to really take shape ahead of next week's winter meetings, it sounds like Scott Harris and the front office in the Motor City is going to have the same competition for Bregman's services that he did last year.
Bregman Being Pursued by Cubs, Red Sox, Tigers
According to a story from Chicago Cubs insiders Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic (subscription required), Chicago once again has interest in Bregman. Despite them having a talented young third baseman in Matt Shaw, it sounds like the Cubs will be an issue for Detroit again.
A year ago, Chicago was offering a similar kind of deal to Bregman that he wound up signing with Boston in terms of short-term, high AAV and containing opt outs, they just did not match the numbers the Red Sox threw out.
The Tigers were the team offering the lucrative long-term deal with an proposal that reached $170 million over six years, and the offer may be similar over five years this time around rather than the opt-out heavy agreement from Boston and the Cubs.
Of course, the Red Sox wanting to keep the superstar in the fold is not exactly news to anyone, however their potential willingness to stretch to long-term -- or if that's even what Bregman wants -- remains to be seen.
Can Tigers Land the Plane with Bregman This Time Around?
For all the flak Detroit has taken over the years for not landing the big-name free agents, their pursuit of Bregman a year ago really cannot be faulted in terms of how hard they tried.
Barring an absurd and foolish overpay, you cannot force a player to want to come, and if Bregman's heart was set elsewhere or on a short-term deal, at the end of the day there was not more the Tigers could have done.
This time around, Bregman's preferences are once again going to dictate the negotiations. Detroit has proven they will offer a competitive deal if they still want him, and there's no reason to think they wouldn't.
If the Tigers can do enough to change the three-time All-Star's mind, perhaps this time around Bregman to the Motor City can become a reality.
Regardless though, it seems Detroit will be fighting off the same suitors they tried to fight off a year ago. Time will tell if they've learned their lesson and can turn a no into a yes.
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Michael Brauner is a 2022 graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in Sports Media. He covers various MLB teams across the On SI network and you can also find his work on Yellowhammer News covering the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers as well as on the radio producing and co-hosting 'The Opening Kickoff' every weekday morning on 105.5 WNSP FM in Mobile, Alabama.