Tigers might be losing steam with Anthony Santander as AL East team closes in

Emma Lingan

Wild Card Series - Kansas City Royals v Baltimore Orioles - Game 2 / Greg Fiume/GettyImages

One of the Detroit Tigers' primary Alex Bregman backup plans may be on the verge of falling through, as an AL East team has reportedly made an official contract offer to free agent slugger Anthony Santander.

The Toronto Blue Jays are trying to change the narrative after missing out on so many big names. While the size and length of Toronto's offer remain unknown, it had already been widely reported that the Blue Jays and Los Angeles Angels were the frontrunners to land the switch-hitting outfielder in free agency. Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported last month that Santander, a first-time free agent, is seeking a five-year contract worth at least $100 million.

As the Tigers and Bregman have so far been unable to come to an agreement on value, Santander has emerged as a more cost-effective solution to Detroit's need for a powerful bat in their lineup. While there is mutual interest, Bregman is seeking double the value that Santander is, causing a hangup for the cost-conscious Tigers.

Tigers might be losing steam with Anthony Santander as Blue Jays make offer

The Tigers' outfield is already stacked with young talent, making Santander a less-than-ideal fit over Bregman. However, their lineup lacks power, something that Santander can provide from both sides of the plate.

As the Tigers look to take the next step toward making a deeper playoff run and contending for the American League Central title, they will need to weigh their priorities. Bregman could theoretically address two areas of need as a third baseman and a power hitter; Santander, on the other hand, only addresses one.

If Santander is indeed nothing more than a contingency plan for the Tigers, they should be prepared to lose him to another team (at this point, likely the Blue Jays). He is coming off the best offensive performance of his career with the Baltimore Orioles in 2024, so his value is arguably at its highest, even if he does come at a relative bargain compared to Bregman. The Blue Jays have the cash to make a competitive offer, while whatever cash the Tigers have is being clutched tightly and given out sparingly. Hopefully, they'll at least make an exception for Bregman.

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Emma Lingan

Emma Lingan is an MLB Staff Writer for FanSided primarily covering the Pittsburgh Pirates. She has been covering baseball for more than a decade dating back to her time as a student at Wake Forest University, and she has won two gold medals as a member of the U.S. National Team delegation (2016 Pan-American Championships & 2017 World Baseball Classic). A native of Washington, D.C. and current resident of Nashville, Tenn., she is also entering her seventh season as a credentialed NHL media member and currently covers the NHL’s Nashville Predators for The Hockey News. When she's not watching hockey, baseball or football, she enjoys podcasting, reading, going to the gym, consuming large amounts of coffee and taking long walks with her dog, Minkah. You can follow her @Emma_lingan on Twitter and Instagram.