Scott Boras leaves door open for Alex Bregman to sign with Tigers next offseason

After a lengthy free agency that dragged on into the final weeks of the offseason, Alex Bregman is not a Detroit Tiger ... for now, at least.

Less than a week after Bregman signed a three-year, $120 million contract with the Boston Red Sox – which includes $60 million in deferred money and opt-out clauses after the 2025 and 2026 seasons – his agent, Scott Boras, released a statement to the Detroit Free Press confirming that Bregman had been open to joining the Tigers and even made them contract proposals before ultimately signing with the Red Sox.

"Alex has great respect for the Detroit organization, its great players, and its heralded manager," Boras wrote. "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."

Scott Boras leaves door open for Alex Bregman to sign with Tigers next offseason

Before signing with the Red Sox, Bregman turned down a more lucrative offer from the Tigers worth $171.5 million over six years, with $40 million in deferred money and an opt-out clause after the 2026 season. Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reported that Bregman's camp had presented the Tigers with two counter offers, neither of which included deferred money.

Ultimately, the Tigers stood firm on two things during their negotiations with Bregman: they would not pay him $200 million, and they would not include an opt-out clause after the 2025 season. The Red Sox, on the other hand, offered him an opt-out after 2025, theoretically allowing him to re-enter free agency next offseason to build up his market value and pursue a more lucrative contract if he so chooses.

So, in issuing a statement about Bregman's mutual interest with the Tigers, Boras wasn't simply saying that there were no hard feelings toward the organization. Perhaps he was suggesting that the saga could begin anew next offseason if the Tigers are still interested.

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