ESPN suggests Tigers chase 2 underwhelming big-name free agents this offseason

The Tigers were the dark horses of this year's postseason crop, which seems to have them in the same position when free agency arrives. Chris Ilitch wanted Scott Harris and the front office to build a foundation of young, homegrown players before they gave away millions to a star or two, and that's exactly what the front office did. The final piece of the puzzle very well could be introducing some veterans with power.

Importantly, the Tigers have also made themselves attractive to free agents. Their postseason run was hard not to admire. AJ Hinch made a case for himself as AL Manager of the Year and Detroit is home to a Triple Crown winner and Cy Young winner-in-waiting. If the front office is willing to put up the money, then the field could be wide open.

Harris told reporters at his first offseason press conference that the team would be looking for a righty bat (he didn't say one with power, but it feels safe enough to assume that) and pitching.

So who might they go after? Among the currently highest-paid are Cody Bellinger (he has a player option that he's expected to exercise), Paul Goldschmidt, Teoscar Hernández, Pete Alonso, and Alex Bregman. All of these players would've been completely out of question for the Tigers last year; this year, a door's open.

ESPN suggested two from that crop for the Tigers: Alonso and Bellinger (subscription required).

ESPN floats Pete Alonso, Cody Bellinger as potential free agent targets for Tigers

Alonso does make a certain amount of sense for the Tigers, especially if they make a decision on Spencer Torkelson's future that doesn't include him being their everyday first baseman. Alonso will certainly be the most expensive first baseman on the market this offseason and he checks the "power" box, but he may not be the best option for Detroit. He still hit 34 home runs, but signs point to his numbers slipping down from their 2021-2023 peak from here on out.

If the Tigers want another first baseman for a few seasons but want to keep Torkelson in their back pocket, getting Christian Walker — who's been pretty steady and solid during his last three years in Arizona — on a one- or two-year deal could also be an option.

Bellinger's heading back to the market after an embarrassingly underwhelming offseason last year, when agent Scott Boras completely misplayed his hand — not only with Bellinger but with many of his high-profile clients. There's no doubt he'll be looking for a guaranteed multi-year deal, and probably with a team that isn't as hopeless as the Cubs.

Although he enjoyed a great comeback year with the Cubs in 2023 and his 2024 was relatively solid, Bellinger's season also indicated that 2023 was a flash in the pan. His batting average dropped by 41 points and his OPS by 130. He's also a lefty, which isn't expected to be something the Tigers are looking for.

Maybe we're dreaming a little too big, but if the Tigers want a powerful outfielder, neither Jurickson Profar nor Teoscar Hernández have had formal extension talks with the Padres or Dodgers despite both seeming very comfortable with where they've been this year.

But the top of the free agent market has been relatively uncharted territory for the Tigers over the past few years, and now is the time to dream big. Fans just might not be into Alonso and Bellinger, both of whom have fallen off in some capacity, with Alonso having a down year in 2024 and Bellinger never quite being the same since 2019.