The Detroit Tigers made a competitive offer to Alex Bregman, reportedly a six-year, $171.5 million deal with an opt-out after 2026. By most standards, it was a fair offer, but Bregman ultimately chose to bet on himself, signing a three-year, $120 million deal with the Boston Red Sox that allows him to opt out after each season. That leaves the Tigers where they’ve often found themselves—without a true third baseman.
Chris wrote an excellent piece about Alex Bregman last month and projected that Bregman is likely to provide between $120–150 million in value over the next six years. Given that teams are currently paying about $7.6 million per projected win for free-agent position players, Bregman’s market value aligns with these figures. The Tigers’ offer of six years and $171.5 million was a solid middle ground, but Bregman ultimately prioritized flexibility and a higher average annual salary with the Red Sox.
He reportedly turned down a six-year, $156 million offer from the Astros earlier in the offseason and was seeking a contract closer to $200 million. This gap in perceived value helps explain why the Tigers didn’t land him, as Scott Harris and the front office factored in the financial commitment against long-term flexibility and future roster construction.
What’s next?
Now, Detroit looks to its internal options, including Hao-Yu Lee, Matt Vierling, and Jace Jung, none of whom are natural fits for the position. Vierling has the athleticism but limited experience at third, though he has logged significant time at the position in 2024. Last season, he played at five different positions, including all three outfield spots and third base, where he showed promise despite being relatively new to the role.
Offensively, Vierling had a solid 2024 season, achieving career highs with 16 home runs and 57 RBIs over 144 games while posting a .257 batting average and a .735 OPS. On a recent episode of the “Days of Roar” podcast, Vierling discussed his approach to adapting to multiple positions and emphasized his commitment to improving defensively at third base. Vierling can hold down the spot and will more than likely will along with Andy Ibáñez in a pinch.
Hao-Yu Lee, meanwhile, will need more time at third base in Toledo but showed decent range and footwork in a small sample size at Erie. He also hit well for his age at Double-A, posting a .298 batting average, a .363 on-base percentage, and a .488 slugging percentage over 87 games, along with 12 home runs and 16 stolen bases.
These numbers underscore why we have him ranked as our Tigers’ number four prospect as a back injury limited his production the final two months of the season. Lee can hit, plain and simple. His continued development will be crucial in determining if he can emerge as a viable long-term option for the Tigers. I think he can play the position, the footwork, and range is there.
Here are a handful of starts from Hao-Yu Lee had at third base in 2024. Can he play the position long-term? He shows good hands, sometimes does rush the throw. pic.twitter.com/8malyKWs50
— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) February 12, 2025
Jace Jung’s defensive metrics are not exactly ideal, but he is coming off a wrist injury that took away a lot of his power when he was called up in mid-August. While third base remains an option, second base may be his long-term position due to his offensive potential. His ability to hit remains his best asset, making it likely that the Tigers will prioritize finding him a spot in the lineup.
Of course, Scott Harris could explore the trade market, but that’s easier said than done. Someone like Nolan Arenado would have to waive his no-trade clause to even consider coming to Detroit, and while the Tigers have some prospects to offer, nothing out there suggests the Cardinals are looking to move him. Plus, Harris has made it clear that he values the farm system and isn’t in a rush to deal away young talent for a quick fix.
Historically Speaking….
Since the 1970s, the Tigers have struggled to develop and retain a long-term answer at third base. The closest thing to homegrown stability was Travis Fryman in the early ’90s, but even he was originally a shortstop. Beyond that, the team has relied on a revolving door of stopgaps, trades, and free-agent signings—Brandon Inge provided a solid glove but inconsistent offense, Nick Castellanos was forced to move to the outfield, and Jeimer Candelario had a few solid years before the team moved on.
With Bregman off the table, the Tigers are left to once again piece together a solution at the hot corner. Whether one of their internal options emerges or they pivot to another move remains to be seen, but history suggests that stability at third base is something that continues to elude the Tigers. Be that as it may, if Detroit can continue their recent trend of player development, it could be not too long for a solution to emerge.
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Chris Brown 
Joe Rampe