Regardless of what position he ends up playing, Alex Bregman is officially a member of the Boston Red Sox. While his arrival undeniably complicates the club's infield picture, they're happy to welcome him aboard, especially knowing he could've taken his talents elsewhere in retrospect.
Speaking on FanSided's The Baseball Insiders podcast, Jon Heyman of the New York Post discussed the bidding war for Bregman that Boston ultimately won. He noted that teams like the Chicago Cubs and Detroit Tigers had their chances to add the two-time All-Star, specifically the latter.
Heyman believes the Cubs had "a good chance" of landing Bregman if they made a more competitive offer. However, Chicago reportedly "didn't come close" to meeting the ex-Houston Astros centerpiece's demands. Meanwhile, the Tigers made things interesting for Boston but ostensibly drew a line in the sand on how much they were willing to spend.
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Baseball Insiders: Tigers refused to meet Alex Bregman’s counter offer
Unlike the Cubs, the Tigers "came pretty close" to Bregman's asking price. Heyman cites a $2 million disparity in average annual value between Detroit's six-year, $171 million bid and the standout infielder's counteroffer.
"If [the Tigers] had gone to, let's say $183 [million] instead of $171 [million], he would've gone there," Heyman stated regarding Bregman.
Instead, Bregman willingly left money on the table to bet on himself. He signed a three-year, $120 million deal with the Red Sox, which includes an opt-out clause after the 2025 and 2026 MLB campaigns.
Bregman seemingly preferred Boston over Detroit, as Heyman alludes to. The flexibility to hit the open market again in search of another payday is also appealing. Nonetheless, the two-time World Series champion was open to joining the Tigers -- at a certain cost.
The Tigers made a valiant effort to acquire Bregman, offering him more cash and long-term security, though the Red Sox prevailed.