A year ago, Alex Bregman was a free agent seeking his first MLB home away from the Houston Astros.
He chose the Boston Red Sox, but he had an opt-out in his contract after the 2025 season, and he exercised that, making him a free agent for the second year in a row.
Last year, the Detroit Tigers appeared to be the team that came closest to getting Bregman without actually landing him.
This time around, even though Boston appears to want Bregman back, Detroit is being given a legitimate chance to turn the tables and get him for themselves.
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MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, in a new article which matches one free agent with every team, has the Tigers winning the duel and getting Bregman on their side this time.
"If this one seems familiar, it is. Bregman and the Tigers danced the free-agent dance last year before the third baseman signed with the Red Sox, but with no qualifying offer attached this year, could things be different? Detroit’s.628 OPS at third base ranked last in the AL, making the hot corner a clear need for the Tigers," Feinsand writes.
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The Red Sox do seem to have better alternatives within their organization than the Tigers do. That could make Detroit a bit desperate, which in turn could lead to a contract offer that Bregman has a tough time turning down.
Both teams made the playoffs a season ago and will hope to do so again, so either way, Bregman should wind up with a contender.
It may just be a matter of little preferences that make the final call here for Bregman. But it certainly seems like the Tigers are in play.
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