Alex Bregman lingered on the market in free agency this winter far longer than just about anybody anticipated. One of the best position players available, a two-time All-Star playing Gold Glove defense at third base, Bregman entered the offseason hoping for a megadeal to carry him through the remainder of his career.
But that deal failed to materialize. The Houston Astros were holding firm with their initial, $156 million offer. The New York Yankees and New York Mets never seemed to show all that much interest, nor did the Toronto Blue Jays. The Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs sniffed around, but neither seemed motivated to offer the sort of contract he (and agent Scott Boras) expected.
Really, only one team seemed anywhere close: the Detroit Tigers, with a hole in their infield, a preexisting connection thanks to manager AJ Hinch and the momentum of a surprise ALDS run at their backs. And yet, as the weeks turned to months, Bregman remained unsigned, despite Detroit having the highest offer on the table and no other suitors showing much sign of budging.
After a while, it began to seem like Bregman really just didn't have much interest in heading to Detroit, at any price. On Wednedsay, he proved that theory more or less spot on.
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Alex Bregman confirms that Tigers were never his first choice in MLB free agency
"We thought we were going somewhere else the entire time," Bregman said on the Foul Territory podcast. "And then in the last 30 minutes we talked to Boston and it got done."
Bregman later clarified that by "somewhere else," he meant the Tigers.
Alex Bregman thought he was going to Detroit until the Red Sox swooped in at the last minute.
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) March 19, 2025
"We thought we were going somewhere else the entire time." pic.twitter.com/R5ePMPvs55
Which maps pretty nicely onto what we already thought went down. The Tigers were the most willing to shell out major years and major dollars for Bregman's services, the perfect supplement to an otherwise young and cheap roster. If he were really just concerned with financial security, he would be in Detroit right now.
But he wasn't, which everyone should've known by late January or early February, when he remained a free agent despite no movement in his market. Whether the pitcher-friendly Comerica Park, the cold weather or something else, Bregman never really seemed all that interested in playing in Detroit. Boston, however, always caught his eye, and when the Red Sox finally at least let him set an AAV record on a short-term deal, he jumped at the chance to head east.
Maybe it'll wind up being for the best. Bregman's bat is a far better fit for Boston, and Detroit has other young options who could emerge at the hot corner in time. But it goes to show that when it comes to big-name free agents, Scott Harris will have his work cut out for him.