MLB analyst Mike Ferrin on Detroit Tigers’ season, Alex Bregman
On “Days of Roar,” Mike Ferrin – co-host of “Power Alley” on MLB Network Radio – evaluates the Detroit Tigers in 2025.
ORLANDO, FL — The Detroit Tigers like free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman.
Need proof?
Last offseason, the Tigers pursued Bregman aggressively for three months and put the largest contract offer on the table, only to finish second to a Boston Red Sox offer that included a large amount of deferred money.
What remains unclear is whether the Tigers will make another offer to Bregman in the 2025-26 offseason, following his return to free agency. The Tigers’ interest in Bregman has been lukewarm so far, according to a person with knowledge of the situation, but it could heat up with the MLB Winter Meetings underway.
“Obviously, Alex is a great player,” general manager Jeff Greenberg said Nov. 12 at the GM meetings in Las Vegas, when asked if the Tigers would chase Bregman this offseason after striking out last offseason. “He’s also a free agent, so really, just not in a position to speak on it beyond that.”
All signs point to the Tigers prioritizing pitching – both starters and relievers – on the free-agent and trade markets, all while keeping an eye on position players.
If Bregman ends up elsewhere, the infield for the Tigers will feature Spencer Torkelson at first base, Gleyber Torres at second base, Javier Báez at shortstop and Colt Keith at third base. The Tigers also have infield prospects Hao-Yu Lee, Max Anderson and Kevin McGonigle coming soon.
When Torres accepted the one-year, $22.025 million qualifying offer instead of testing free agency, a Bregman deal became less likely.
If the Tigers add an infielder, Ha-Seong Kim – who drew interest from them last offseason before signing with the Tampa Bay Rays – could make more sense as a less expensive, shorter-term, lower-risk option with upside.
Kim primarily plays shortstop but has experience at second and third base, with a .713 OPS across his past four seasons. The 30-year-old, whose return from a 2024 shoulder injury brought a late debut with the Rays and a rough season that featured a stint on waivers, shouldn’t command more than a two-year contract.
It wouldn’t be surprising if the soon-to-be 32-year-old Bregman seeks six years and $182 million.
In 2025, Bregman hit .273 with 18 home runs, 51 walks (10.3% walk rate) and 70 strikeouts (14.1% strikeout rate) in 114 games, including a .933 OPS in his first 83 games (and a .539 OPS in his final 31 games). A right quad strain forced him to miss 43 games from late May to mid-July, marking his first stint on the injured list since 2021.
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The Tigers finished as the runner-up for Bregman among his three finalists last offseason.
Here were the three offers: The Tigers at six years, $171.5 million with an opt-out after 2026, the Chicago Cubs at four years, $115 million with opt-outs after 2026 and 2027, and the Red Sox at three years, $120 million with opt-outs after 2025 and 2026. (The Houston Astros also offered six years, $156 million, but other details are unknown.)
Bregman picked the Red Sox.
Without Bregman, the Tigers showed up for 2025 Opening Day with their payroll at approximately $145 million – a figure that would have hovered around $170 million had they signed him.
Looking ahead, the Tigers’ 2026 Opening Day payroll projects to be about $140 million, with Torres’ accepting the $22.025 million qualifying offer and right-hander Jack Flaherty exercising his $20 million player option.
That leaves the Tigers with an estimated $30 million to spend this offseason.
That’s exactly what Bregman could command per year.
The Tigers like Bregman, but with the Winter Meetings underway, the baseball world will soon find out if they turn up the heat in pursuit of Bregman for the second year in a row – or let his market play out while focusing on rotation and bullpen upgrades.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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