The Detroit Tigers had a big opportunity this offseason, offering Alex Bregman a 6-year, $170 million deal. But as we know, Bregman ultimately chose to sign with the Boston Red Sox for a 3-year, $120 million contract. While it stings to lose out on a player of his caliber, Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris is not one to dwell on what could have been.
A Solid Offer, But No Regrets
“We want players who want to be here. I say it a lot because I mean it,” Harris said via Evan Petzold. While he acknowledged that they made a compelling offer, he understood that Bregman ultimately wanted to go elsewhere. “We knew that was a possibility throughout this process, and we planned for that outcome. We’re fortunate to be in this spot where we have an owner in Chris Ilitch who gives us the flexibility to chase elite free agents. We’re going to land those guys sometimes, like we did with Jack Flaherty. Sometimes we’re not, and that’s fine.”
Plenty of Talent in the Farm System
Even though Bregman’s signing would have been a huge addition, Harris is confident in the team’s direction without him. “Heading into this entire process, we knew that — given all the work that we had done on the acquisition and development front — we were going to be able to run out a really good team with or without Alex Bregman.”
There’s a lot of optimism for the young talent the Tigers are developing. “We have Jace Jung, who mashed his way through the minor leagues, a left-handed hitter who deserves a lot of reps at this level. We have Matt Vierling, who is a versatile and athletic right-handed bat who put up a sneaky good year last year. And we have Andy Ibáñez, who’s a lefty killer who plays really good defense at third base.”
The Future is Bright, With or Without Bregman
Harris is also excited about the future. “We also have a lot of young talent coming real fast through the farm system, and a lot of them play on the left side of the infield. We’re going to be just fine without Alex Bregman, and we still have a clubhouse that just got to the postseason and just beat a team with Alex Bregman, so it clearly can be done.”
Focusing on What’s in Front of Us
As the Tigers head into 2025, Harris has his eyes on the prize. “We just got to focus on the guys we have in camp right now, and we got to get after it in spring because we got to get a lot better to be able to compete in this division.”
While missing out on Bregman was disappointing, Harris’ comments reflect the Tigers’ deep belief in their future. With young talent emerging and a solid foundation, Detroit has the pieces in place to take the next step forward — regardless of whether or not Bregman joins the fold.
