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Details On Negotiations Between Tigers, Alex Bregman

By Darragh McDonald | February 18, 2025 at 1:35pm CDT

Though Alex Bregman signed with the Red Sox, the Tigers were one of the finalists. It was reported last week that Detroit had an offer of six years and $171.5MM on the table with an opt-out after year two, though there were some deferrals involved. This week, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press provides some more details and context for the talks between the Tigers and Bregman’s agent Scott Boras.

As for that previously-reported offer from Detroit, Petzold reports that $40MM of it would have been deferred. That’s a sizable amount but notably less than the deal Bregman accepted with the Red Sox. Though the sticker price on the Boston deal is $120MM over three years, $40MM average annual value, there are $20MM in annual deferrals for a $60MM total.

Bregman didn’t accept that offer from the Tigers but seemed perfectly open to joining the club, as his camp made a few counter offers. One of them was for $200MM over seven years, which would have been a $28.6MM AAV. The other was $186MM over six years, $31MM AAV, with an opt-out after 2025. Neither of those offers from Bregman/Boras to the Tigers included deferred money.

Those asks align with previous reporting on what Bregman was looking for in free agency. In the earlier parts of the offseason, he and the Astros seemed to be having a bit of a staring contest. Houston offered $156MM over six years, $26MM AAV, but Bregman reportedly wanted to get closer to $200MM and didn’t like the idea of taking a pay cut in terms of AAV. As part of Bregman’s previous extension with Houston, he made $28.5MM salaries in each of the final two years of the deal. The Astros walked away, which led clubs like the Red Sox, Tigers and Cubs emerging as frontrunners for his services.

His two counter offers to Detroit would have put him a bit above that Houston AAV but it seems the Tigers weren’t quite willing to go there. The previously-reported six-year, $171.5MM offer from Detroit would have led to an AAV of $28.6MM in terms of the sticker price, but the deferrals would have knocked that down. The degree to which the AAV would have dropped would have depended on how far into the future that money was deferred, but it surely would have been below the $28.5MM AAV that Bregman seemed determined to top, or at least match.

When pivoting to a short-term deal, a player usually sacrifices a bit of overall guarantee for greater earning power in the short term. There were reports in the offseason that Bregman was resisting such a pivot, presumably because he had these decent six-year offers from Houston and Detroit. However, since they didn’t quite live up to his expectations, he eventually did turn to a shorter pact. The $40MM AAV he got from the Red Sox is apparently going to be calculated as $31.7MM for competitive balance tax purposes when factoring in the deferrals, but that still allows Bregman to get an AAV bump compared to his last deal.

Whether that will prove to be a wise pivot remains to be seen. Last offseason, several players pivoted to short-term pacts that fell below initial market expectations. Most prominently, the so-called “Boras Four” of Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery, Cody Bellinger and Matt Chapman took this path. That has already paid off for Chapman and Snell, who each eventually landed the mega deals they were seeking. Chapman initially got $54MM over three years from the Giants but then signed a six-year $151MM extension late in the 2024 season. Snell got $62MM over two years from San Francisco, opted out and then got $182MM over five years from the Dodgers.

For Bellinger and Montgomery, the jury is still out. Bellinger got $80MM over three years from the Cubs, had a good-not-great season and decided not to opt out. He has since been traded to the Yankees and has another opt-out chance after this season. Montgomery got just one-year and $25MM guaranteed but with a vesting option. He vested the $20MM player option and bumped the value to $22.5MM by making at least 18 starts, but decided not to return to free agency after posting a 6.23 earned run average. Montgomery left Boras and later accused the agent of having “butchered” his free agency.

Like those players, Bregman has opt-outs after each year of his deal. He clearly had an idea of where he considered his value to be and went out looking for it this winter. He didn’t fully get everything he was looking for, leaving some long-term money on the table to get the AAV he wanted in the short term. He will have the ability to try again in the future, perhaps as soon as eight-ish months from now.

For the Tigers, though they didn’t get a deal done, it does showcase a greater willingness to spend than they have otherwise. Since Scott Harris has taken over as president of baseball operations, they have avoided long-term commitments. No free agent has signed a deal longer than two years. The club did agree to a six-year extension with Colt Keith, but that only committed the club to his pre-existing window of control. The three club options could keep him around beyond that period but the club will also have the ability to walk away.

The Bregman negotiations show that there are no hard lines against making longer deals and that the club would consider making such an investment if the stars aligned. Perhaps the Tigers could circle back to Bregman next winter if he opts out, though their interest will naturally depend on how things play out in Detroit this year. Young infielders like Keith, Jace Jung, Trey Sweeney and Spencer Torkelson should all be vying for playing time and their performances could determine how forcefully the Tigers look to make a big infield addition next winter.

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Boston Red Sox Detroit Tigers Alex Bregman

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129 Comments

  1. cplwhite

    4 months ago

    Most important Detail…He signed in Boston ..Story over !

    11
    Reply
    • dougjay

      4 months ago

      Exactly…

      Reply
    • rhandome

      4 months ago

      Yeah.

      I don’t put much stock in stories like this because, one, the guy didn’t sign there, and two, its easy for GMs to say they offered XYZ after a guy signed elsewhere. Or for a reporter to say that.

      7
      Reply
    • SportsFan0000

      4 months ago

      Story continues since Bregman is aiming on a big platform year in Boston and likely opting out of that contract.

      2
      Reply
      • letitbelowenstein

        4 months ago

        So some team is going to pay him 41 MM next season? Okay.

        4
        Reply
        • caltigerfreak

          4 months ago

          He doesn’t need that. If he has a good year and gets 6/$160M beginning in 2026 … he will have gotten his 7/$200M. Or if not, he stays in Beantown a second season and then performs, he can shoot for 5/$120M and still gets his 7/$200. It’s all about how he performs from here on out, isn’t it. We shall see.

          1
          Reply
        • mafiabass

          4 months ago

          Honestly, that would be perfect for both parties

          Reply
    • robw5555

      4 months ago

      Way overpaid. 40mm a yr???

      4
      Reply
    • Still in talks

      4 months ago

      Yes, Trevor Story was over years ago.

      1
      Reply
    • Tigersfan82

      4 months ago

      Thank-god Tigers dodged a bullet not signing him.

      4
      Reply
    • Diabetic Rockstar

      4 months ago

      It’s being brought up because SCOTT BORAS AND ALEX BREGMAN sent emails to all the Tigers beat writers with this information, including inferring that Bregman would remain interested in the team if he was to be a free agent again soon, IE was to opt out.

      So this isn’t on the Tigers or even this site. The writers are just responding to what Boras and Bregman are ACTIVELY putting out there.

      I’m sure there’s a benefit for this to Boras, but not sure why Bregman would be cool with Boras still playing the media game as he gets ready for spring training with a new team

      1
      Reply
      • 84LeFlore

        4 months ago

        You are correct sir.

        I’m getting so sick of Alex Bregman. I’m going to get stories about that dweeb on my phone forever now.

        Scott Harris should “check in” on the availability of Rafael Devers. Then let Devers trade rumors slip. Fuel that Bosox turmoil a little more.

        Reply
      • SportsFan0000

        4 months ago

        That is very tacky and disloyal to the Red Sox who are paying him big bucks.
        Not a Red Sox fan, but the guy is already shopping for his next job before his 1st day on the job with his new job?!

        Reply
  2. User 3544663696

    4 months ago

    Arenado is waiting

    Reply
    • craf1

      4 months ago

      I hope the Tigers negotiate with him next year. Offer a seven year contract for ten million. Then smile and walk away.

      1
      Reply
      • Tigersfan82

        4 months ago

        Be greatful Tigers didn’t sign him.i was hoping for weeks he’d sign somewhere else.he’s not worth money he wanted at age he is and declining plus commerica park would make his stats look worse like it does to lot of players.He had lot of cheap homers at minute maid and will again at Fenway.

        5
        Reply
      • MacGromit

        4 months ago

        @craf

        never a good idea to piss off Boras. he can cripple your team in the future. I know you’re kidding but those are the realities of the FA market these days

        1
        Reply
  3. dougjay

    4 months ago

    Begging wanted to go to Boston or stay in Houston. But once Boston made him the 4th highest paid position player in baseball, how and why would he turn that down. P.us a chance to hit 200 foot homeruns lol

    3
    Reply
    • swanhenge

      4 months ago

      200 foot home runs. That’s pretty funny.

      2
      Reply
      • runningred

        4 months ago

        318 ft down left field line.

        2
        Reply
        • SportsFan0000

          4 months ago

          Yankee stadium little league RF porch is even worse.

          7
          Reply
        • ROCKY07

          4 months ago

          Yankee stadium right field is 314 down the line ….wouldn’t brag about other parks like Fenway with the Green Monster inviting all those 200 ft doubles off the wall…..

          Reply
        • SportsFan0000

          4 months ago

          Wasn’t it 295 for years and then it was changed?!

          Reply
    • Aaron Sapoznik

      4 months ago

      I believe the Cubs were also a priority for Alex Bregman. They had already traded for two of his best Astros friends in RF Kyle Tucker and closer Ryan Pressly. Unlike with Boston, there would have been zero question about Bregman remaining at 3B with the Cubs in 2025.

      Bregman’s decision came down to Cubs ownership unwilling to defer any contract dollars. Their non-deferred offer also would have kept Bregman’s AAV just shy of the team’s 2025 CBT tax threshold which seems to be another line that Tom Ricketts was not willing to cross after narrowly exceeding it in 2024.

      Boston wound up signing Bregman to a $40MM AAV with $20 MM of that deferred. Their 2025 tax hit is estimated to be $31.7MM for CBT purposes. With a bit higher AAV, one that included some deferred dollars but significantly less than the Red Sox ultimately agreed to, the Cubs could have matched Boston’s offer and still stayed below Rickett’s “precious” tax line.

      1
      Reply
      • Joemo

        4 months ago

        Aaron – would have loved to see if Bregman would have chosen Boston if the offers were the same, but the Sox offer was just significantly better than the Cubs. Same pay to be under contract one less year? No brainer in my opinion.

        Reply
      • SportsFan0000

        4 months ago

        Cubs dodged a bullet there.

        3B prospect Shaw is ready for MLB.

        Bregman would have left Shaw without a position.
        Shaw may get close to Bregman numbers for major league minimum

        3
        Reply
        • Aaron Sapoznik

          4 months ago

          Like the Red Sox offer, the Cubs short term proposal also included opt-outs after 2025 and ’26. There was no guarantee that Bregman would have remained in Chicago past 2025 or 2026.

          Aside from that, most scouts have top hitting Cubs prospect Matt Shaw’s ideally suited as an MLB second baseman due to his 45 grade arm. Bregman’s signing would have moved Shaw to the keystone position where he might still have been an opening day starter with Nico Hoerner not fully recovered from his October right forearm flexor tendon surgery. Assuming Shaw has a solid spring, this is an even more likely outcome with the Cubs opening in Tokyo in mid-March. With Shaw ultimately at his best defensive position, Hoerner looks to be the odd man out and a solid trade chip considering he’s a GG 2B that also plays an excellent SS. He also possesses excellent baserunning and bat-to ball skills.

          Had the Cubs not traded their truly elite 3B prospect Cam Smith to the Astros for Kyle Tucker, he would have been the Cubs best bet as their long term answer at the hot corner with his 60 grade arm. Including Smith in the deal could be the player move that the Cubs truly regret if Tucker becomes a one year rental. Trading for Bregman might also have helped the Cubs chances of keeping Tucker beyond 2025.

          2
          Reply
        • Aaron Sapoznik

          4 months ago

          *Signing Bregman!

          Reply
        • TheGr8One

          4 months ago

          Bregman would have played second and Nico would be on the move. Shaw wouldn’t have been blocked.

          Reply
      • SportsFan0000

        4 months ago

        I thought both those former Astros are on one year deals and walking at the end of the year?!

        Reply
    • Airo13

      4 months ago

      He’s a line drive hitter. I don’t see Fenway helping his game as much as most people do. I foresee a lot of hard singles off the monster, unless he changes his mechanics, which could also be a problem.

      Reply
  4. tigerdoc616

    4 months ago

    This is just BS Bora$$ trying to soothe over the Tigers and their fanbase who rightly are angry at Bregman for rejecting a very good long term offer to sign with the Red Sox. That is fine, he didn’t want to play in Detroit. Just be honest about it. But Bora$$ can’t be honest because he is hoping Tigers will play the fool again next year and bid up the next contract. Well, that ain’t happening Scott.

    14
    Reply
    • User 3544663696

      4 months ago

      You don’t know this. Where is the proof dude?

      Reply
      • stymeedone

        4 months ago

        Its an opinion on a chat site. And you want proof?

        12
        Reply
      • Diabetic Rockstar

        4 months ago

        Youjustmade, Boras sent this to all the Tigers beat writers and credentialed media members.

        This wasn’t just some rumor being reported by Petzold. It’s directly quoting what Scott Boras and Bregman are actively putting out there even as he prepares for his first spring training with Boston

        Reply
    • alcameron

      4 months ago

      Let’s hope a Boras client by the name of Tarik Skubal wants to stay in Detroit and the pizza boy illitch pays him

      5
      Reply
      • SportsFan0000

        4 months ago

        The chances of that are slim and none.
        Boras will take Skubal to the public auction
        like his does for virtually all of his top clients.

        It is looking like Scherzer 2.0
        The Tigers should have traded Scherzer in his walk year
        which is what I posted at the time it happened.
        A blockbuster Scherzer deal at that time would have been a “retooling” that could have kept the Tigers window of contention open longer.

        Better for the Tigers to trade Skubal in his “walk year”
        and land multiple great young players and prospects that are major league ready or almost major league ready

        that to settle for the draft pick.

        Reply
        • warnbeeb

          4 months ago

          Agree. I see the Tigers trading Skubal during next off season. If they are out of it in July ( unlikely) then even this season.

          Reply
      • Nuitari

        4 months ago

        I’m not buying any of it. This is probably a way to butter up Detroit and get them to pay an insane amount of money for a Skubal extension or a way to use Detroit during his free agency to increase the cost for him to go elsewhere.

        Also helps Bregman when he opts out next year with inflated numbers from playing in Boston.

        2
        Reply
    • SportsFan0000

      4 months ago

      This is the kind of thing that could damage relations
      and what happens in the coming Skubal negotiations

      If that is the way it is going to be with Boras,
      then the Tigers would be smart to trade Skubal
      for a great package of young major league and major league ready talent in Skubal’s walk year next year.

      3
      Reply
    • Dustyslambchops23

      4 months ago

      If anything this is tigers brass leaking this info so that fans know they tried

      3
      Reply
      • Diabetic Rockstar

        4 months ago

        Dusty, sorry dude. Sorry Boras sent this to every credentialed media member for the Tigers. He and Bregman are actively putting this info out there despite him reporting to spring training with Boston.

        Why? Many guesses.

        But this wasn’t a rumor or a leak. This was direct communication from Boras & Bregman to Tigers fans

        Reply
  5. terry g

    4 months ago

    This shows, at least in Bergman’s case, that the AAV is very important to him and not the total value.. Even with a 6 year offer he considered the Astros offer a pay cut,

    4
    Reply
    • SportsFan0000

      4 months ago

      Is it “very important” to Bregman?!

      OR is it more important to Boras to keep raising the AAV
      for his Clients and reject solid offers for a little lower AAV
      but are very lucrative regarding the total amount of the contract?!

      This strategy may hurt teams wanting to assemble the best team with a strong chance of winning pennants and the World Series.

      Owners that may need to add a few more players may be reluctant to blow by the luxury tax thresholds may feel handcuffed by some players/agents insisting on every deal raising the AAV for future deals.

      It may be actually lowering the number of teams bidding if these escalating AAVs are sabotaging teams’ business plans and budgets.

      2
      Reply
      • ThatsIT?

        4 months ago

        Nobody likes to take a pay cut. This is just another reason why it’s smart for teams to nickel and dime arb guys early on. 500k first year arb costs you 4,5 million in last year or arb and if the player never wants a pay cut many many millions more after that.

        1
        Reply
      • YankeesBleacherCreature

        4 months ago

        Raising the AAV salary bar has always been a MLBPA member initiative if one has the ability to do so. If Bregman didn’t believe in himself to have a better season than the previous and doesn’t think that the market will pay more than the $31.7M Red Sox are paying him now, he would’ve accepted the Tigers’ offer. All it takes is two teams to do the bidding.

        1
        Reply
      • SportsFan0000

        4 months ago

        In the NFL and the NBA, players, teams and their agents
        are more focused on assembling teams to contend for Championships.
        Some star players in the NFL and NBA take less money up front and structure their AAVs deals for the benefit of the team and the flexibility to sign more top players
        rather than making it “all about them only and not the team”.

        MLB players and some agents are not getting this concept and/or don’t care.
        It is all about “Me,Me,Me”….

        5
        Reply
        • LordBanana

          4 months ago

          The entire point of deferrals is to give teams more flexibility, what are you talking about?

          2
          Reply
        • WadeBoggsWildRide

          4 months ago

          So Shohei isn’t a demon in your opinion?

          Reply
      • warnbeeb

        4 months ago

        You’re right. It’s not talked about much but the next MLB contract is up next year. Expect a lock out. Mid, small market owners need relief.

        3
        Reply
  6. swanhenge

    4 months ago

    Can’t figure out why Harris is being so public with this whole scenario. Is he just trying to prove to the fans he did all he could to get Bregman?

    Suck it up dude. Boston gave him what he wanted, you didn’t. If I’m a FA in the future, I’m not going to find comfort in knowing Harris will air all the dirty laundry if I don’t sign there.

    Reply
    • Motor City Beach Bum

      4 months ago

      It’s not dirty laundry, it’s facts. It looks good that the Tigers were willing to spend and free agents will see that in the future.

      5
      Reply
    • SportsFan0000

      4 months ago

      I like the fact that Harris is being open and transparent about these negotiations.

      It is a “breath of fresh air”.

      It also shows other free agents that the Tigers have made serious, very lucrative fee agent offers to Bregman and others and that Ownership is serious about making “the right deal”, not just any deal that will weigh the team down like heavy anchors for 5 or 10 years.
      (The Cabrera extension and other).

      It also fosters “transparency” with agents like Boras.
      Teams are less likely to fall for “the mystery team” gambit
      that has teams bidding against themeselves if negotiations
      are fully transparent.

      These disclosures also reveal,what many of us suspected, that Bregman had no intention of going to Detroit or Chicago and his agent Boras was just using those teams to drive up the price for Bregman.

      That could backfire on both Bregman and Boras when Boras opts out especially when some of those young Tigers infielders “break out” and the team pivots and passes on
      bidding on Bregman when he opts out.
      Ditto wit the Cubs who have a young major league ready 3B..

      We will find out if Bregman and Boras shot themselves in their feet b alienating bidding teams who do not return to the bidding table when Bregman opts out.

      3
      Reply
    • dkhits20

      4 months ago

      @swan Yes, that’s all it is – he’s making the fans aware that he made a competitive offer.

      I honestly doubt Bregman cares that the offer was revealed. I’m sure he expected that some of the offers would be made public. In the end, he got what he wanted and most people agree with his decision.

      1
      Reply
      • SportsFan0000

        4 months ago

        We will see if that is the case when he opts out of his contract in a year.

        Will other teams offer more money than Detroit, Chicago and Houston?!

        Some of those teams may move on to other players and may not even be bidding the next round.

        Reply
    • ThatsIT?

      4 months ago

      Just stop. Free agents aren’t going to care about some scenario you dreamed up in your head. They’re going to go to Detroit if they offer the most money in almost all cases. The exception is boras clients because Scott lies to them ends up costing them millions. I find it hard to believe the Houston wouldn’t have preferred to give bregman this deal over the 6 years they were offering.

      3
      Reply
    • Diabetic Rockstar

      4 months ago

      It’s not Harris. Boras emailed all the Tigers media with all this information.

      The Tigers themselves never even confirmed the original offer. All confirmation has come from Boras.

      Reply
  7. Patriot12992

    4 months ago

    I’m confused by Bregman here, when the deferrals are counted in it makes very little sense. He didn’t want to take a pay cut on the 28.5 aav from lasts year, well he is getting only 20m this year that’s a 8.5m pay cut. Sure he gets to opt out after this year but the Tigers deal seems a lot better on paper once you factor in the deferrals from BOS.

    4
    Reply
    • Acoss1331

      4 months ago

      If what is being reported is true, the only thing that makes sense is that Bregman was only ever interested in either the Astros or the Red Sox.

      2
      Reply
      • Motor City Beach Bum

        4 months ago

        Hes probably hoping playing at Feneay will inflate his offensive profile to make another run at a big contract next year.

        9
        Reply
        • YankeesBleacherCreature

          4 months ago

          You’re going to see Bregman pull the ball a lot more at Fenway this upcoming season. He got away from that last season and started chasing down and away stuff with pitchers throwing there more.

          4
          Reply
    • all in the suit that you wear

      4 months ago

      Maybe the big difference to Bregman was the Red Sox offered an opt-out after one year whereas the Tigers only offered an opt-out after two years.

      Reply
      • all in the suit that you wear

        4 months ago

        The Tigers offered Bregman more total money with less deferred. The only area the Red Sox offer beat the Tigers was offering an opt-out after the first year.

        Reply
      • all in the suit that you wear

        4 months ago

        ….the Red Sox did offer a higher AAV, but I don’t see why he would value that more than total dollars. Bregman’s thinking doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me. It looks like he really wants to opt out after one year.

        Reply
  8. JerseyShoreScore

    4 months ago

    Can’t believe so many teams are willing to abuse the system and offer out big deferrals like that…

    Baseball is doomed!

    1
    Reply
    • swanhenge

      4 months ago

      It’s a business decision made by each individual team that happens to be within the “legal” structure of the MLB salary system.

      It’s up to the teams to decide if they want to pay these guys after they’ve retired. If it makes sense in the future and the present, here’s your contract with deferred payments.

      3
      Reply
    • mlb fan

      4 months ago

      “Abuse the system..baseball is doomed”…Maybe you’re just hearing about it, but contracts in MLB were being “deferred” over 30+ years ago. Most baseball fans will remember the Bobby Bonilla example.

      The “deferral” is hardly a new concept in business or in baseball and it has not “doomed” MLB(or business)in the decades they’ve employed this simple accounting tactic.

      8
      Reply
    • Joe says...

      4 months ago

      FYI even the first FA Catfish Hunter had deferrals in his contract. So deferrals have been a thing since the beginning of free agency.

      1
      Reply
    • mab51357

      4 months ago

      Optouts are hurting the game too. Especially from a fans point of view. Team signs a player to 3-5 year deal and if said player performs up to his contract the first year he opts out. It’s happening more and more. A team thinks they’ve covered a positional void for the next few years but in fact it’s usually only a 1 year contract. Said team is right back in need of the position they thought they covered 7 months or so earlier. It sucks.

      1
      Reply
      • KingKen

        4 months ago

        Opt outs can burn a team too. The Sox themselves experienced that with JD Martinez. His contract had opt outs for the final 3 years but by then he was noticeably starting to diminish as a hitter and no one was going to pay him anywhere close to the $19M he was making each year from the Sox so they were stuck with him, and then had to watch players they otherwise might have wanted to keep around like Kyle Schwarber walk because they had no spot for him with JDM still clogging the roster.

        Most of the time teams offer opt outs they’re more than content to get the short term roster boost and see the player walk afterward.

        Reply
  9. tigerfan1968

    4 months ago

    He just is not that good a hitter… bad move Red Sox…

    2
    Reply
    • dsett75

      4 months ago

      He might be in that “kitty litter box”, as Sparky Anderson once called it. I think he’ll spend his seemingly annual month on the IL and that become more prevalent moving forward though

      1
      Reply
    • KingKen

      4 months ago

      Right. Bad move by the Sox to commit to a max of 3 years vs Detroit offering 6 or more? Sour grapes is more like it.

      Reply
  10. padrepapi

    4 months ago

    A counter of 6/186.5m with an opt out after 2025 is pretty one-sided.

    8
    Reply
    • For Love of the Game

      4 months ago

      Agreed. I don’t consider that a serious offer, and I’m glad Harris didn’t bite on it. It is pretty clear from that unserious counter that Bregman only wanted to play for the Tigers if they accepted a completely one-sided deal.

      6
      Reply
  11. Wagner>Cobb

    4 months ago

    31 million AAV over 6 years and an opt out after year 1? That’s insane. What is the incentive for the club to make a commitment like that that can be voided one year in?

    “Hey, if I’m really fantastic this year and a key player right at the start of your contention window, I’m gonna immediately bail for more money either with you or elsewhere thus setting you back at least a year. How does that sound?”

    9
    Reply
    • For Love of the Game

      4 months ago

      And that’s why the Tigers smartly walked away.

      9
      Reply
    • DonOsbourne

      4 months ago

      The opt out in that offer is irrelevant because that’s the best offer Bregman is ever going to get. No matter what he does this year, he isn’t getting any younger. Teams feel like they already know who and what he is. Most of the big market teams passed this year. Next year won’t be any different.

      I don’t know if Bregman is just very delusional about his own value or if Boras gave him bad advice. The market they think exists is never going to materialize.

      7
      Reply
      • Wagner>Cobb

        4 months ago

        His camp likely thinks he has a better CV than Chapman and wanted to significantly clear that deal. But he also probably didn’t want to be stuck in a dying city like Detroit where there isn’t much of a supporting cast offensively.

        Reply
        • Motor City Beach Bum

          4 months ago

          The Tigers should have a decent offense this year just based on the improvements thst would be expected from their young core players.

          4
          Reply
        • SportsFan0000

          4 months ago

          Detroit is a rejuvenated City experiencing a boom.

          NFL had its draft there last year and 300,000 fans attended.

          Comerica Park,(Tigers) Ford Field (Lions)
          The Sports Park with new venue for the Red Wing and Pistons.

          Housing and business is booming.

          You are reading old news clippings from 30+ years ago.

          Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Detroit and other cities
          have experienced major revivals.

          5
          Reply
        • Avory

          4 months ago

          @Motor City Beach Bum

          Except for one thing: progress isn’t linear, if it comes at all.

          Let me just cite several examples from Cleveland’s “young core of players’ from its 2022 division champions to its 2023 disappointment:

          Andres Gimenez…offense fell off a cliff
          Steven Kwan…sophomore season never got on track
          Oscar Gonzalez…disappeared entirely
          Will Brennan….never took a step forward (ditto Gabriel Arias)
          Triston McKenzie…never was the same
          Trevor Stephan…he, along with the entire bullpen took a step back

          Literally no young player on Cleveland’s 2022 reached even conservative projections for 2023. Some of them (but not most) bounced back in 2024.

          All I’m saying is that Detroit is most likely a year away. I see the expectations being a burden on this young team in 2025, as it was for Cleveland’s young players in 2023.

          Reply
        • Motor City Beach Bum

          4 months ago

          Avory…I dont disagree with you that this could be a potential outcome. There is always risk with young players. Hopefully that won’t be the case.

          2
          Reply
      • Avory

        4 months ago

        @Don Osbourne

        This one is fairly simple to characterize: Bregman is a delusional athlete who can’t fathom math, the age curve, the fragility of humans, or that a “bird in the hand…”

        1
        Reply
      • YankeesBleacherCreature

        4 months ago

        @DonOsbourne Same words were spoken last offseason but Matt Chapman and Blake Snell may beg to differ.

        Reply
        • Avory

          4 months ago

          When big gambles work out, that doesn’t mean shoving all your chips into the middle of the table is “good process.”

          And it ignores the fact that one has to depend not only on one’s performance and health, but some stupid organization to step up. The Dodgers aren’t stupid, but they are awash in cash. The Giants? Yeah, they’re just dumb.

          1
          Reply
        • DonOsbourne

          4 months ago

          I don’t think these are similar situations. Chapman and Snell were both forced to sign “prove it” deals because they were players who had something to prove.

          Bregman has nothing to prove. Nothing he does this season is going to cause teams to see him in a more positive light. He will be the same guy, just a year older. Teams don’t have questions about Bregman, they just don’t think he is as valuable as he thinks he is.

          1
          Reply
        • Avory

          4 months ago

          Far, far better response than mine.

          Reply
        • YankeesBleacherCreature

          4 months ago

          He’s trying to prove to himself that he’s a better player than last season. We’ll see. It’s definitely a gamble a lot of players won’t take given what the Tigers offered.

          Reply
        • DonOsbourne

          4 months ago

          @ Avory

          I agree with your take. The were certain conditions that led to Chapman and Snell getting their contracts.

          Reply
  12. toptimrubies

    4 months ago

    If Bregman does opt out after this season I wonder what his market will be.

    1
    Reply
  13. Devlsh

    4 months ago

    DETAILS ON NEGOTIATION:

    Bregman’s Camp: We want this!

    Tigers: No, too much.

    3
    Reply
  14. Daryl Pauley

    4 months ago

    Torkelson reminds me of Gorman. They are frustrating much more than they are inspiring.
    Maybe one day. Gorman has a new hitting coach he is raving about.

    3
    Reply
    • Motor City Beach Bum

      4 months ago

      Sounds like a good change of scenery trade right there.

      1
      Reply
    • Luke Strong

      4 months ago

      Tork is so much better than Gorman. Tork hit 31 homers in ‘23, improved his defense significantly last season. I think the whole Colt Keith to 1B is a terrible idea. They’ve got too much invested in Tork to give up on him. Some head scratching moves by Harris this offseason, I now question whether he is as competent as I once thought he was. I don’t think so. Seems like someone in the organization (Harris? Ilitch?) is impatient and intent on shooting themselves in their own foot.

      2
      Reply
      • Motor City Beach Bum

        4 months ago

        Tork did not play well or listen to his coaches last year. Even earlier this week Hinch had to save him from his own comments on that front. Gorman and him both sucked last year and played well the year before and Gorman can play 3B. I liked what Harris did this offseason. Torres helps on offense and Flaherty was a home run signing.

        3
        Reply
  15. User 3544663696

    4 months ago

    Detroit just can’t figure out how to act like a major league team. Cleveland, Minnesota, and KC all do more with less. Harris was the wrong hire and until he’s gone, they’re not going anywhere

    Reply
    • dsett75

      4 months ago

      Our farm system smokes their’s and we’re willing to at least make 9 figure offers. I’d rather be a Tigers fan versus the others. I don’t necessarily disagree with your Harris assessment though. His targets can be weird. He definitely struck too early for too much with Cobb.

      2
      Reply
    • SportsFan0000

      4 months ago

      Many top rating services have rated the Tigers farm system as #2 in MLB.

      Most of the players on the current contending Tigers team
      were drafted by former fired GM Al Avila.
      Some times it takes longer for the farm system to bloom.

      Scott Harris has made may positive reforms to the Tigers system.
      The Tigers main player development guy was hired by Al Avila
      a year or two before he was fired.

      Harris and the Front Office have helped restock the farm system.
      The Tigers have a steady stream of great ,young talent arriving in Detroit
      in ’24, ’25. ’26. ’27. ’28
      Their window of contention opened a year early in 2024.
      It looks like it will be staying open for quite some time.

      3
      Reply
      • Avory

        4 months ago

        I don’t disagree that Scott Harris has done a remarkable job resuscitating and modernizing a creaky farm system.

        But there are no such things as “windows of contention.” Every year is different, there’s no way to predict performance, health, or the well-being of competitors. Even if there were such “windows” it is far too premature to say Detroit’s “opened” in 2024.

        It’s just as likely (if not moreso) that the Tigers take a significant step back this year in the same manner Cleveland did in 2023. No one said Cleveland’s “window was open” after that disastrous season. But then came 2024…

        Reply
        • SportsFan0000

          4 months ago

          The Tigers passed a number of teams in 24 to make the playoffs and eliminated the Astros in the 1st round and came within 1 game of the ALCS.
          I would call that slamming open their windew of contention.

          And, that was after dealing Flaherty to the Dodgers @ the deadline last year.

          Flaherty is pitching both halves for the Tigers this year Top starting prospect Jackson Jobe will be up.

          Numerous young players are getting better.

          Disagree with you glass is half empty opinion.

          Reply
        • Avory

          4 months ago

          Of course you do. Hope springs eternal in the hearts of baseball fans at this time of year. Rose colored glasses and all that.

          But facts are facts. The average of three highly respected objective models–Fangraphs, ZIPS, and Pecota–all see the Tigers’ outcomes tightly bunched right around .500. That’s not a “glass half empty opinion,” that’s dispassionate rational analysis.

          You and I? We’re irrational, sometimes hopeful, often negative, fans. You can believe what you want to believe, and certainly the Tigers arrow long-term is pointed up, but believing the Detroit “window was slammed open” because of miraculous stretch of baseball followed by a week of playoff baseball, well, I don’t know what to tell you to soften the blow, but good luck!

          Reply
        • The Saber-toothed Superfife

          4 months ago

          It wasn’t all that miraculous. Detroit beat the teams the other teams in the Central had already beat and the other teams of the Central lost to the teams Detroit had already lost to earlier in the season. Not really miraculous at all.
          The biggest worry is that of all the teams in the Central, Detroit had the worst record against Chicago last year. This year, the Central teams might not get that boost.

          Reply
        • Avory

          4 months ago

          C’mon, let’s be honest for once. The Detroit brain trust gave up on the team. They dealt key components away…they quit! If they thought winning was even in the realm of possibility, they wouldn’t have done that, admitted it was over. They had a zero percent chance of making the playoffs. It is more than fair to call what happened “miraculous.” And I give the kids a ton of credit for it, let’s not minimize their incredible accomplishment.

          Reply
        • The Saber-toothed Superfife

          4 months ago

          Well, I’m 100% for trading players, even if we are in first place – if it helps make the team better, if it helps build a dynasty.

          Reply
      • gotigers68

        4 months ago

        Let’s hope that last year wasn’t a fluke.

        1
        Reply
        • Avory

          4 months ago

          Ha-ha. It was the very definition of a fluke.

          Doesn’t mean that the Tigers can’t put together a full season of solid baseball, but what happened last year was insane. It was virtually without precedence. Again, the very definition of a flukish run.

          They could play consistently well all season this year and still not end up with results as good as last year.

          Reply
    • Motor City Beach Bum

      4 months ago

      The Tigers just did “more with less” last year by making the playoffs, winning a round and losing in 5 to Cleveland withv2 starters,pitching chaos and the youngest team in baseball. Seems like they are the poster child for “more with less.”

      2
      Reply
      • Avory

        4 months ago

        Detroit was far less “pitching chaos” than Cleveland was. Go back and look at who Cleveland started down the stretch and into the playoffs and how long their outings were.

        Detroit didn’t do “more with less.” Its payroll far eclipsed Cleveland’s. Not anyone”s fault but Detroit’s that they threw a lot of that payroll overboard at the deadline and ran up the white flag.

        Cleveland was the youngest team in baseball at the start of 2024. That Detroit jettisoned any veteran making money at the deadline and Cleveland added a couple of veterans for the stretch drive doesn’t make Detroit a singular youth movement.

        What Detroit did after quitting at the end of July wasn’t a case of “doing more with less,” it was a damn miracle. And yes, they were tough as nails in the playoffs.

        But depending on that happening again isn’t a plan, it’s a prayer.

        Funny thing is, I suspect the Tigers will be looking to offload Flaherty at the deadline again, along with Gleyber Torres and Tommy Kahnle this time.

        Reply
        • Motor City Beach Bum

          4 months ago

          Yes…because you are a Cleveland fan Avory who posts on Tigers news because there is no news about Cleveland. No-one but you was comparing the two teams. Us Tigers fans feel the Tigers will win the Division. We’ll see who is right at the deadline but I think Flaherty starts game 2 of Detroits first playoff series.

          Reply
  16. sports_fan9921

    4 months ago

    Crazy that the Sox put that value on him. Does that already eliminate 27 teams from signing Tucker next year?

    Reply
    • Joemo

      4 months ago

      Tucker and Vlad are about to get paid, provided they have good seasons. Contracts are only going up, potential issues when the current CBA expires on 12/1/2026.

      But then again, the money needs to dry up at some point. Dodgers and Mets can’t offer those massive deals to every player. I don’t think the Red Sox would be in on Tucker and Vlad, unless Casas has a very poor season and there’s major outfield issues.

      So long winded way to say yeah probably, very few teams will be able to afford them

      1
      Reply
      • YankeesBleacherCreature

        4 months ago

        statista.com/statistics/236213/mean-salaray-of-pla…

        Why would the money dry up?

        Reply
        • Joemo

          4 months ago

          Maybe used the wrong term, but how many teams are generally in the running for big name free agents? It’s a small handful. As those teams sign big name free agents, they’re less likely (unless your LAD for some reason) to commit to more big name, pricy FA. So if those bigger market teams are not competing to drive the price of a player up, they would need to settle for less money.

          Some of the smaller teams will need to pay some superstars soon (CIN, PIT, SEA) or recently paid a guy (KC).

          I just don’t see a lot of teams willing to go to say 400MM for Vlad or whatever Tucker will command.

          2
          Reply
        • YankeesBleacherCreature

          4 months ago

          Toronto has already set the minimum bar for Vladdy at $340M and Tucker is the better player. Facing a potential grievance, A’s were forced to spend. Other low payroll, revenue-sharing teams could face the same pressure soon. I think they’ll both get what they want.

          1
          Reply
  17. Luke Strong

    4 months ago

    Bregman did Detroit a huge favor by going to Boston, bailed Harris out of a really bad contract to him, 6 years, what was he even thinking???

    Most importantly, it leaves the door open for the Tigers to go after Murakami with everything they’ve got next offseason. He’s truly the perfect fit for this club, powerful lefty who plays 1 or 3.

    I felt Harris has been doing a great job but I’m having second thoughts now knowing he was willing to tie the Tigers future to Bregman on a 6 year deal.

    4
    Reply
  18. Logjammer D"Baggagecling

    4 months ago

    I think he’d have much better success in Bahston than in Detroit. Comerica Park is a massive field to LF. And the Green monster isn’t too different from the Crawford boxes in Houston. Just a much taller wall. And Bregman can also go oppo taco to the much shorter wall in RF.

    I’m glad he did sign with the Cubs. It would show they don’t have a ton of confidence in Shaw at 3B and Nico would be the odd man out. Defensively I’d take Nico over Bregman. Maybe that makes me delusional. Idk but also Nico Hoerner doesn’t have a very punchable face.

    1
    Reply
  19. Dtownwarrior78

    4 months ago

    I am ecstatic that he didn’t sign with the Tigers. This contract wouldn’t aged like a turd in the July sunshine. Bregmans offensive stats are already on the decline, and if you take a good hard look at it, Vierling’s offensive numbers were not that far off from AB’s. Now defensively, that I cannot argue. But I am truly excited to see how Jace Jung performs this season. He was playing with an injured wrist all late last season and it sapped his power. I want to see what we have with him, and paying Matt Vierling $3M rather than Bregman $40M for damn near the same offensive output would have made ZERO SENSE!

    4
    Reply
  20. Rob Gibson

    4 months ago

    Why is this relevant? He signed with Boston, Moving on….

    Reply
  21. MPrck

    4 months ago

    40 Million a year is peanuts, compared to how much S.S has been paying out to those 150 y.o. and older people, but its too much for him.

    Detroit dodged that bullet. Tork did more in 23 so they saved a ton of dough. Its going to be a fun season, and no huge new contract anyone has to fret about. GO TIGERS !!!!

    3
    Reply
  22. gotigers68

    4 months ago

    Kinda glad he didn’t end up in Detroit. Our young guys will fill the hole.
    As for Skubal, he’s in Detroit for the next year and a half. Then trade him.

    3
    Reply
  23. letitbelowenstein

    4 months ago

    On the other hand, Bregman wouldn’t have walked into the Peyton Place environment known as Devers’ Corner.

    Reply
  24. robw5555

    4 months ago

    Proof yet again, you only need one sucker to bite.

    Reply
  25. dpsmith22

    4 months ago

    if the Redsox are lucky, he opps out after year 1. it’s a terrible deal that will bite them.

    Reply
  26. The Saber-toothed Superfife

    4 months ago

    I think the initial offer would have been bad for the Tigers. I would have argued against it. The counter offer was ridiculous.

    Who says Boras failed? Got his guy a guarantee of $100+M ? Uhhhh? In 3 years. Sounds good to me.

    Now let us all pray together, he does not opt out so we have no more of these hideous articles about Bregman free agency next year! Enough already!

    Reply
  27. 3 finger split

    4 months ago

    I know that the idea of having a salary cap is not going to fly with the players union but the CBT is a pseudo cap. Most teams try to stay just below so that they don’t have to pay a penalty. Self imposed salary cap although a very few teams don’t really care because a team like the Dodgers gets over 300 million a year from their TV contract before the first pitch is even thrown and then add in the whole deferral of salary…while within the rules has thrown MLB out of whack for small to mid-market teams that have owners who will spend the bare minimum to keep getting revenue sharing so in a way there is a salary floor and a salary cap.
    I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…if I was playing, I would not have a problem deferring money as a retirement account…getting paid anywhere from 3 to 10 million a year for however long is a very nice “Golden Parachute”

    Reply
  28. TroyVan

    4 months ago

    This is textbook “control the narrative by twisting the facts”.

    Fact is, Bregman wanted $200 mil and didn’t get it. Now, Boras and Bregman explain away to save face. If you can see it for what it is, you won’t see Bregman choosing the Red Sox over the Tigers. You see him choosing Fenway over Comerica because GMs know he is likely already in his decline and even 5 years at $30 million is a really tough pill to swallow.

    Credit to the GMs that recognized this for what it was and is.

    3
    Reply
  29. BurnerK

    4 months ago

    He said in his presser his wife wants to attend Harvard.

    Boston it is. Happy wife happy life. People forget the other influences on a players decision.

    2
    Reply
  30. alwaysatiger38

    4 months ago

    He was never coming to Detroit. Borderline HOF with a pull swing, perfect for the wall in Boston not Comerica park in Detroit.

    2
    Reply

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