Alex Bregman-A.J. Hinch reunion with Tigers gets massive dose of cold water

The Detroit Tigers' Cinderella run to the ALDS has spirits high in the Motor City. This Tigers team is built to sustain winning, led by the top ace in the American League and anchored by a lineup full of selfless platoon options — not to mention a manager in A.J. Hinch who isn't afraid to get creative.

It is difficult (and wildly impressive) to build a winner in the Tigers' mold, basically devoid of star-power. Everybody in that lineup is flexible and egoless, willing to accept bit parts in a much larger whole. Hinch knows how to press all the right buttons, playing matchups as well as any manager in the MLB.

And yet, with their first postseason appearance in a decade now in the rearview mirror, folks are wondering if Detroit might start to operate with the aggression standard to most bonafide contenders. The upcoming free agent class is loaded with quality bats who would play well in the middle of Detroit's lineup, but none stand out more than two-time World Series champ Alex Bregman.

The former Houston Astros third baseman obviously has a strong connection to Hinch, who managed the Astros during Bregman's first World Series victory. There were, um, controversies around that team, but Bregman and Hinch are joined at the hip — for better or worse — in the annals of MLB history. A palate-cleansing reunion in Detroit makes sense. Bregman has all the leadership qualities the Gritty Tigs could want.

And yet, according to Jim Bowden of The Athletic, Tigers fans shouldn't get their hopes up.

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Phillies, Red Sox listed as Alex Bregman frontrunners with Tigers dream fading

Bregman is believed to desire a return to the Astros above all else, but the teams that "make the most sense," should he leave, are the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies, according to Bowden.

"I believe Bregman wants to return to the Astros if they’ll step up and match his free-agent market value," he writes. "If he were to leave Houston, the two spots that make the most sense to me are Boston and Philadelphia because of the dimensions of their home ballparks. I don’t like Bregman’s fit with the Tigers because of the large confines of Comerica Park, but I’d sure like his fit in their clubhouse because he’s a two-time World Series winner with strong makeup."

The Phillies and Red Sox tend to operate with more financial ambition than Detroit, too, which stands out in this free agency sweepstakes. That said, Bowden does not kill the Tigers dream entirely. Bregman would be a tremendous locker room fit — the sort of established winner and veteran leader this young, plucky group needs. Even if his offensive numbers suffer slightly in Comerica Park, there's a good chance Bregman offsets it with his value in the clubhouse.

Bregman has a career batting average of .227 on the road in Detroit, raking four home runs and 16 RBI in 21 games. He went 3-for-13 across three appearances in Comerica Park last season, posting a double and two singles. Houston obviously hosted Detroit in their Wild Card round sweep.

We'd all love to see Bregman in a Tigers uniform — what a great story it'd be for a long-suffering fanbase — but odds are he ends up with a more established contender in a more prominent media market. Such is life.