Tigers' free agent target reveals how Detroit struck out on him and Alex Bregman

For all of the new pieces the Detroit Tigers added in free agency – Jack Flaherty, Tommy Kahnle and Gleyber Torres, among others – much of the focus remains on the pieces they didn't add heading into the 2025 season.

Indeed, the Tigers put all of their eggs in the Alex Bregman basket during free agency this offseason. In doing so, they missed out not only on Bregman himself, but on another switch-hitting slugger for the middle of their lineup.

Behind Bregman, Anthony Santander was considered one of the best bats available on the free agent market this past offseason. The Tigers reportedly showed interest in the outfielder, who has since signed a five-year, $92.5 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, and he recently confirmed the reports himself.

"They looked at me," Santander told Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. "But they were looking at the third baseman as the priority because that was the spot they needed the most. I was next. They were showing interest, like calling and making sure I was still available, but I was second in line."

The third baseman, of course, was Bregman, and the Tigers did have a need at the position. But Santander's bat would have been a more than acceptable consolation prize. The 30-year-old averaged 35 home runs and 153 games per season from 2022-24 with the Baltimore Orioles, along with an 8.5% walk rate, a 20.5% strikeout rate and a .795 OPS, which would easily put him ahead of any of Detroit's internal options in right field.

Santander reminded the Tigers of that fact in Monday's spring training game when he finished 2-for-3 with three RBI in a 13-3 Blue Jays win.

Tigers missed out on Anthony Santander while focusing on Alex Bregman in free agency

Santander's strong performance at the plate Monday had Tigers fans dreaming about what might have been if he had signed with Detroit instead of Toronto. Apparently, though, Santander was never even given the choice.

"[The Tigers] showed interest," Santander told Petzold. "But they didn't make an offer, so I don't know."

In other words, the Tigers' decision to make Bregman their number one priority in free agency is aging like milk. They didn't just miss out on Santander in free agency; they didn't even make him an offer. Perhaps if they had, things would have turned out differently, and Santander would be racking up runs for Detroit instead of Toronto.

It's not the end of the world, but it is a lesson for teams like the Tigers who might be limited in free agency. Better to come out with something rather than nothing.

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