ESPN intensifies Tigers' links to perfect Parker Meadows upgrade in free agency

The Tigers don't strictly need an outfielder this offseason, but it's certainly an area where they could do with some upgrading. Parker Meadows failed to follow his very promising second-half in 2024 and spent most of 2025 on the IL, Wenceel Pérez is little more than an average player, and Kerry Carpenter is probably more of a full-time DH (if the Tigers ever decide to permanently fill that role instead of cycling misfits through it).

It's hard to imagine the Tigers picking more than one player to spend excessively on, and Alex Bregman has once again been the name most frequently connected to Detroit. But the Tigers' infield is crowded as it is, and there's no shortage of promising (and much cheaper) prospects who Bregman's presence could block.

So it would kind of make more sense for the Tigers to look for an outfielder to splurge on. Kyle Tucker is out of the question, but the second-best outfielder on the market might not be.

Cody Bellinger, the "perfect Swiss Army knife-type player," was named as a potential candidate for the Tigers by David Schoenfield of ESPN. He wrote, "He's a nice addition for the Detroit Tigers, either in center field (Parker Meadows didn't hit much) or right field (turning Kerry Carpenter into a full-time DH)."

ESPN links Tigers to Cody Bellinger as Parker Meadows upgrade

In 2025, Bellinger enjoyed his best season since his 2019 MVP campaign with the Dodgers. The Yankees are keen to re-sign him, but they bet incorrectly that Trent Grisham would turn down the qualifying offer and now have payroll constraints on top of an outfield glut. If Bellinger returns, it complicates the futures of top (or former top) prospects Spencer Jones and Jasson Domínguez.

Bellinger is predicted to make anywhere between $175 million over six years (ESPN) or $182 million over seven. The lower end of the spectrum almost perfectly matches the offer the Tigers made to Bregman last year — six years, $171.5 million.

Meadows' calling card has been his defense, and sometimes it's been good enough to save him from demotions, but Bellinger is still elite and capable of hitting nearly 30 homers. He's been decently healthy over the last four seasons, he has a nice walk-to-strikeout ratio, and he still has some speed.

In a lot of ways, Bellinger seems like an even more attractive option than Bregman. He's younger, about the same price, and wouldn't cause an infield logjam. Maybe the Tigers should be redirecting their attention.