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Alex Bregman was ready to sign with the Detroit Tigers.
That had always been the plan — until the All-Star third baseman instead joined the Boston Red Sox on Feb. 12, signing a three-year, $120 million contract with $60 million in deferred money and opt-outs after the 2025 and 2026 seasons, turning down offers from the Tigers and Chicago Cubs.
Detroit's offer?
It was for six years and $171.5 million, with $40 million in deferred money and an opt-out after the 2026 season.
"We thought we were going somewhere else the entire time," Bregman said Wednesday morning on the "Foul Territory" show during an interview with ex-Tigers outfielder Cameron Maybin. "And then in the last 30 minutes, we talked to Boston and the deal got done."
Where did Bregman think he was signing?
"We thought we were going to be in Detroit the entire time," said Bregman, represented by agent Scott Boras as a free agent for the first time in the 2024-25 offseason, "and then at the last second, Boston kind of came in."
Bregman, a two-time World Series champion, provided additional insight into his free agency, which lasted more than three months, from Oct. 31-Feb. 12.
He detailed his connection with Tigers manager A.J. Hinch.
"It's a great relationship," Bregman said of Hinch, who managed him from 2016-19 with the Houston Astros. "I think he's an amazing manager, great guy. We talk all the time. We were talking all offseason."
Beyond Hinch, Bregman also commended the Tigers' organization for its recent success.
He knows from firsthand experience: The Tigers snapped a decade-long postseason drought in 2024, then defeated Bregman's Astros in the American League wild-card series before falling to the Cleveland Guardians in the ALDS.
"Obviously, they had a really good team last year, they got a really good team again this year," said Bregman, who went 3-for-8 in the wild-card series. "I wanted to be in a position and in a place that we felt like we could win, and it was between Houston, Boston, Detroit and Chicago. I felt like all four of those organizations were winning organizations. I had great conversations with all of them. Ultimately, I'm super excited to be here and to be playing in Boston."
Meanwhile, Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris implied Bregman never wanted to play in Detroit.
"We want players who want to be here," Harris said Feb. 14, two days after missing out on Bregman. "We made a very compelling offer to Alex Bregman, but he chose to sign somewhere else. That's fine. We knew that was a possibility throughout this process, and we planed for that outcome."
Along the way, the Tigers turned down two offers proposed by Bregman's representatives, both without any deferred money: seven years, $200 million; six years, $186 million with an opt-out clause after the 2025 season.
"Alex has great respect for the Detroit organization, its great players, and its heralded manager," Boras said Feb. 17 in a statement to the Free Press. "He received a close-up view of the Tigers and their promising future during the 2024 playoffs, which is why he directed me to place Detroit on his priority list for free-agent meetings. Following very positive meetings, Alex directed me to convey offers to Detroit, which illustrates his high regard for the city and the franchise."
In spring training, Bregman is hitting .333 (11-for-33) with three home runs, five walks and eight strikeouts across 13 games for the Red Sox as he prepares for the 2025 season.
Bregman, a Gold Glove winner at third base, averaged 25 homers and 154 games per season over the past three years with the Astros, posting a .798 OPS. His 14 fWAR from 2022-24 ranked 18th among 230 qualified position players.
The Tigers still don't have an everyday third baseman after optioning rookie Jace Jung to Triple-A Toledo following his struggles on offense in spring training, meaning he won't make the Opening Day roster. To start the 2025 season, the Tigers are expected to deploy a third-base platoon: Zach McKinstry against right-handed pitchers and Andy Ibáñez against left-handed pitchers.
Bregman could opt out of his contract with the Red Sox and return to free agency after the 2025 season.
And the Tigers could find themselves right back in the mix.
"It was kind of crazy," Bregman said. "I met with a lot of teams. And then, honestly, everything happened in the last 30 minutes. It was kind of rapid fire."
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Alex Bregman talks Detroit Tigers free agency before Red Sox signing
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That had always been the plan — until the All-Star third baseman instead joined the Boston Red Sox on Feb. 12, signing a three-year, $120 million contract with $60 million in deferred money and opt-outs after the 2025 and 2026 seasons, turning down offers from the Tigers and Chicago Cubs.
Detroit's offer?
It was for six years and $171.5 million, with $40 million in deferred money and an opt-out after the 2026 season.
"We thought we were going somewhere else the entire time," Bregman said Wednesday morning on the "Foul Territory" show during an interview with ex-Tigers outfielder Cameron Maybin. "And then in the last 30 minutes, we talked to Boston and the deal got done."
Where did Bregman think he was signing?
"We thought we were going to be in Detroit the entire time," said Bregman, represented by agent Scott Boras as a free agent for the first time in the 2024-25 offseason, "and then at the last second, Boston kind of came in."
Bregman, a two-time World Series champion, provided additional insight into his free agency, which lasted more than three months, from Oct. 31-Feb. 12.
He detailed his connection with Tigers manager A.J. Hinch.
"It's a great relationship," Bregman said of Hinch, who managed him from 2016-19 with the Houston Astros. "I think he's an amazing manager, great guy. We talk all the time. We were talking all offseason."
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Beyond Hinch, Bregman also commended the Tigers' organization for its recent success.
He knows from firsthand experience: The Tigers snapped a decade-long postseason drought in 2024, then defeated Bregman's Astros in the American League wild-card series before falling to the Cleveland Guardians in the ALDS.
"Obviously, they had a really good team last year, they got a really good team again this year," said Bregman, who went 3-for-8 in the wild-card series. "I wanted to be in a position and in a place that we felt like we could win, and it was between Houston, Boston, Detroit and Chicago. I felt like all four of those organizations were winning organizations. I had great conversations with all of them. Ultimately, I'm super excited to be here and to be playing in Boston."
Meanwhile, Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris implied Bregman never wanted to play in Detroit.
"We want players who want to be here," Harris said Feb. 14, two days after missing out on Bregman. "We made a very compelling offer to Alex Bregman, but he chose to sign somewhere else. That's fine. We knew that was a possibility throughout this process, and we planed for that outcome."
Along the way, the Tigers turned down two offers proposed by Bregman's representatives, both without any deferred money: seven years, $200 million; six years, $186 million with an opt-out clause after the 2025 season.
"Alex has great respect for the Detroit organization, its great players, and its heralded manager," Boras said Feb. 17 in a statement to the Free Press. "He received a close-up view of the Tigers and their promising future during the 2024 playoffs, which is why he directed me to place Detroit on his priority list for free-agent meetings. Following very positive meetings, Alex directed me to convey offers to Detroit, which illustrates his high regard for the city and the franchise."
In spring training, Bregman is hitting .333 (11-for-33) with three home runs, five walks and eight strikeouts across 13 games for the Red Sox as he prepares for the 2025 season.
Bregman, a Gold Glove winner at third base, averaged 25 homers and 154 games per season over the past three years with the Astros, posting a .798 OPS. His 14 fWAR from 2022-24 ranked 18th among 230 qualified position players.
The Tigers still don't have an everyday third baseman after optioning rookie Jace Jung to Triple-A Toledo following his struggles on offense in spring training, meaning he won't make the Opening Day roster. To start the 2025 season, the Tigers are expected to deploy a third-base platoon: Zach McKinstry against right-handed pitchers and Andy Ibáñez against left-handed pitchers.
Bregman could opt out of his contract with the Red Sox and return to free agency after the 2025 season.
And the Tigers could find themselves right back in the mix.
"It was kind of crazy," Bregman said. "I met with a lot of teams. And then, honestly, everything happened in the last 30 minutes. It was kind of rapid fire."
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Alex Bregman talks Detroit Tigers free agency before Red Sox signing
Continue reading...
