This more or less mirrors Petzold’s last report on Bregman from earlier this month, and “the Tigers have not shown any new movement in the ensuing weeks,” a source tells Petzold in his latest piece. Since Detroit was apparently the only team to offer Bregman a four-year-plus contract last year, Petzold suggests the Tigers may want to leverage this interest to see if they can potentially wait out the rest of Bregman’s market.
The Blue Jays, Cubs, Diamondbacks and Red Sox are Bregman’s other known public suitors, and Petzold adds that Chicago and Boston “have shown no willingness to offer a long-term contract.” This was also the case last winter, when the Cubs reportedly offered Bregman a four-year deal (with multiple opt-outs) in the range of $115 million to $120 million, and the third baseman ultimately signed a three-year, $120 million deal with the Sox, allowing him to opt out after each of the first two seasons.
Bregman enters his age-32 campaign hitting .273/.360/.462 with 18 home runs in 495 at-bats for Boston in 2025. His season was marred by a quad strain that sidelined him for just under seven weeks, as well as a deep slump in the final five weeks of the season. Despite these shortcomings, Bregman’s strong start earned him his third career All-Star title, and his veteran influence within the young Red Sox clubhouse was heavily praised.
It was a very solid year for Bregman and an overall improvement from his 2024 slash line. However, it may not have been the kind of standout campaign that inspires a team to make the type of five- or six-year bid it wasn’t willing to make last season, although Bregman isn’t tied to a qualifying bid this time around.
A few other factors complicate Bregman’s market. Bo Bichette And Kazuma Okamoto are still free agents, and Okamoto’s post-season is January 4. It’s possible that teams could wait for Okamoto (including both the Red Sox and Blue Jays, according to reports) first to see where he lands before moving on to other infield targets. Boston and Toronto have also each expressed interest in free agent Bo Bichette and trade candidate Kettle Marteand moving Marte’s contract could be Arizona’s first step in freeing up enough payroll space to go after Bregman.
While Bichette is considered the Blue Jays’ priority and Bregman may be Boston’s favorite target, the two teams are linked with so many infielders that the Tigers, Diamondbacks and Cubs could stand out as it appears Bregman is the only big infielder on their radar. Chicago’s offseason has been dominated by multiple bullpen additions and reports linking the Cubs to multiple free agent starters, but there hasn’t been much buzz about any additions of key position players to replace Kyle Tucker. That said, the Cubs also had a meeting Pete Alonso during the Winter Meetings, so it’s not like the team is closing itself off from the pursuit of a premium bat.
As Petzold notes, there is certainly a scenario in which Bregman’s other suitors all agree to deals or make other acquisitions, leaving the Tigers perhaps the only club still open to giving Bregman a longer-term contract. Depending on how things develop, Bregman and agent Scott Boras could potentially move to a different type of contract with a shorter term and a higher average annual value, with an opt-out or two. Bregman didn’t sign with the Red Sox until mid-February last winter, which could be a sign that Bregman is happy to wait until he gets an acceptable offer, or that he might prefer more stability this time around rather than another extended stay in free agency.
Since the Tigers have yet to sign a free agent to a contract longer than two years in the Scott Harris era, Motown fans would prefer the club to be a bit more proactive or aggressive in finally landing a big target. Being patient with Bregman obviously carries the risk of him signing elsewhere, meaning Detroit now has to play catch-up if the team wants to make a significant lineup upgrade. The Tigers are one of the teams exploring the idea of ​​trading for Marte, so that could provide some sort of alternative if Marte is also still in Arizona when Bregman comes off the board.
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