Insider's free agent fit for Tigers' 2026-27 offseason actually makes a lot of sense

The Tigers are almost certainly not ending up with Alex Bregman. No matter how "lukewarm," no matter how much his market might crater if he stays a free agent for too long — it's just not going to happen.

The Tigers don't appear interested in spending more than they already have, especially not on a bat, and Scott Harris basically already told everyone to simmer down and lower expectations this time around.

Next offseason will have to feature some major changes, though. Even if the Tigers keep Tarik Skubal through 2026, they'll still lose him at the end of the season alongside Jack Flaherty and Casey Mize. Gleyber Torres, the veteran bat Harris loves to hype up, will also become a free agent again.

One would think that the looming loss of Skubal would've lit a fire under the Tigers' front office, but maybe actually losing him will finally do the trick. Maybe next year is the year they finally start making waves and taking risks.

If so, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press proposed George Springer, a free agent next offseason, as the Tigers' next big target.

Evan Petzold proposed George Springer as the Tigers' next big free agent target

Springer is a lot older than Bregman –– he will be 37 going into the 2027 season –– and he dealt with injuries late in 2025 and in the postseason. But when he was healthy, no one can deny that he was very, very good. It was undeniably his best season as a Blue Jay, and he won a Silver Slugger and earned MVP votes accordingly. Even if that continues into 2026, his age should still make him one of the more affordable stars on the market.

The Tigers could plausibly end up giving Springer a two- or three-year deal around $20 million a year. That's more than doable; it's kind of a no-brainer. It's not even that risky, if we want to make an argument Harris would actually be receptive to. And there's the AJ Hinch-Astros connection.

Springer is a postseason monster. He had a .399 OBP in 2025. He's not much of an outfielder anymore, but the Tigers could make an exception and fill their DH spot full-time for a few years, if it means they have a bat of his caliber in the lineup.

Tigers fans are getting tired of "maybe next year," but it's all that we really have right now. Hopefully we'll be right sooner rather than later.