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Alex Bregman 'open to a lot of things' in free agency, including Detroit Tigers
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- Alex Bregman 'open to a lot of things' in free agency, including Detroit Tigers
Alex Bregman is a two-time World Series champion.
The 30-year-old third baseman — averaging 25 home runs in 154 games while batting .260 with a .798 OPS over the past three seasons — has competed in the postseason in every season except the first season of his nine-year MLB career, all with the Houston Astros .
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Bregman is also a free agent.
The Detroit Tigers have interest.
"We've had numerous talks with teams and owners," Scott Boras , Bregman's agent, said Wednesday at MLB's Winter Meetings in Dallas, "and we all know what comes after an A (Alex) and a B (Bregman) is a C — champion. And in Bregman's case, that's C-squared. All of these teams realize what a leader he is and what a champion he is, plus his skill level. He's very much in demand."
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Oct 2, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros third base Alex Bregman (2) runs after hitting a single against the Detroit Tigers during the second inning of game two of the Wildcard round for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
The Tigers have been engaged in conversations about Bregman, according to a source with knowledge of the situation, and the discussions remain ongoing. The Tigers, though, don't want to spend $200 million for Bregman.
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Bregman has interest in joining the Tigers.
"I think he's open to any team that he thinks is someone that can be competitive and kind of dawn a new age," Boras said, "similar to the one he had in Houston. Obviously, he knows some people in Detroit very, very well, and has very familiar and trusting relationships there. I think for those reasons, he's open to a lot of things."
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Bregman has valuable relationships with two people in the Tigers' organization: manager A.J. Hinch from their time together with the Astros and bullpen catcher Chris Chinea from their college careers together at LSU.
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Hinch, who joined the Tigers in November 2020, was Bregman's manager from 2016-19, winning the World Series together in 2017. Chinea, who joined the Tigers in 2023, was Bregman's teammate from 2013-15 and roommate for two of those three seasons.
In the 2015 MLB draft, Bregman was selected in the first round, No. 2 overall, by the Astros, and 519 picks later, Chinea was selected in the 17th round by the St. Louis Cardinals .
They're still friends to this day.
The Tigers — led by president of baseball operations Scott Harris — have expressed their desire to win the American League Central in 2025 after tasting the postseason in 2024. To get there, the Tigers will rely on the development of their young players, but they also want veteran players to lead the way.
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"We have to continue to add veterans to this group," Harris said Tuesday at the Winter Meetings. "It's a little bit harder now because we have fewer openings on this team, but we got to keep adding veterans because I think they can both help us on the field and they can get a little bit more about of the other 25 guys."
That's why the Tigers signed veteran right-hander Alex Cobb to a one-year, $15 million contract .
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Next, the Tigers are seeking a veteran right-handed hitter to join the offense, with third base as the most glaring hole. Bregman, a right-handed hitting third baseman, happens to be one of the best leaders in baseball.
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"We have a really high bar for who we can characterize as a veteran presence that would be a good influence on our guys," said Harris, who worked with Cobb in 2022 with the San Francisco Giants . "Sometimes, you've been with a guy before, and that is helpful. It helps you know the character and the makeup and have some confidence that they're in it for the right reasons. It's easier when you know the guy before."
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At the beginning of the offseason, the Tigers — despite Hinch's connection — weren't prioritizing Bregman and wanted to be patient in the market , but the dialogue has picked up recently. The Astros, New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are among the other teams with reported interest.
The Astros have a six-year, $156 million offer on the table to re-sign Bregman.
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But Bregman is seeking a $200 million contract.
"Dana (Brown, Astros general manager) and I continue to talk," Boras said, "and we obviously are making every attempt. We know that Breggy plays really, really well there. He's got a great group of teammates, a remarkable history that few teams enjoy. So we continue to talk about it."
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As Bregman turns 31 in late March, there are several reasons to be concerned about his long-term performance based on the underlying metrics in this past season, including his declining power production and his uncharacteristically low walk rate. He also has dealt with several right elbow injuries over the years, requiring surgery to remove a bone chip in 2019 and 2024.
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Beyond that, Bregman's style as a pull-heavy hitter to left field would be better suited for Houston's Minute Maid Park (soon to be named Daikin Park in January) at 315 feet, or Boston's Fenway Park, at 310 feet, because of the ballpark dimensions, whereas Detroit's Comerica Park is 342 feet to left field.
"He hits as many home runs at home as he does on the road," Boras said.
That's not quite true.
From 2022-24, Bregman hit 43 home runs in 228 games at Minute Maid Park in Houston for an average of one homer per 5.3 games. Meanwhile, Bregman hit 31 home runs in 223 games on the road, for an average of one homer per 7.2 games.
Aside from those concerns, Bregman is an All-Star-caliber player, a World Series champion-caliber winner, a Gold Glove third baseman and a Silver Slugger at the plate. He has been worth more than 4 fWAR in each of the past three seasons, with his combined 14 fWAR from 2022-24 ranking 18th among 230 qualified position players.
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Bregman is an elite baseball player.
"Anybody who wants a Gold Glove third baseman that hits in the middle of your lineup," Boras said, "I don't know how many teams that doesn't fit for."
That is exactly what the Tigers need.
Time will tell where Bregman ends up for 2025 and beyond.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold .
Listen to our weekly Tigers show "Days of Roar" every Monday afternoon on demand at freep.com, Apple Podcasts , Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at freep.com/podcasts .
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Alex Bregman free agency: Detroit Tigers engaged in conversations
