Buster Olney Says ‘Nasty’ Negotiations Between Alex Bregman-Tigers Make Deal Unlikely
Bregman's market might not be that plentiful.
The Detroit Tigers have been discussed as an Alex Bregman suitor for over a year now. Detroit’s been in buzz connected to Bregman this offseason, and the Tigers were involved in his free agency last offseason, too.
Some Boston Red Sox fans hoping for a Bregman reunion in 2026 have even viewed the Tigers as the biggest threat to steal Bregman away from Boston.
New comments from ESPN’s MLB insider Buster Olney, however, paint a different picture of the likelihood that Detroit will sign Alex this winter.
During a recent episode of his Baseball Tonight podcast, Olney reported that negotiations between the Tigers and Bregman didn’t end well last offseason. This convinces Olney, among other things, that Bregman will end up back in Boston.
“I still think in the end that Alex Bregman goes back there ’cause I don’t see a big volume market for him,” Olney said.
“The Detroit Tigers … they’ve been linked to Bregman this offseason. I think those negotiations (last offseason) kind of turned a little bit nasty at the end. You had Scott Harris, the head of head of baseball operations there, basically saying out loud, ‘We can win without Bregman.’ So I don’t know if that’s where, you know, (the Tigers will go). I think in the end that’s where the Red Sox land. It might not be as sexy as what Red Sox fan want, but he’s a pretty good player for them and they really valued him.”
Bregman delivered a steady, impactful 2025 for the Boston Red Sox after signing as a free agent a year ago. In 114 games, the 31-year-old third baseman posted a .273 average with 18 homers, 62 RBI and 3.5 WAR, earning his third All-Star selection.
Across 10 MLB seasons (nine with Houston and one in Boston) Bregman has compiled a .272 average, 209 home runs, 725 RBI, and 43.1 WAR. A two-time World Series champion (2017, 2022), he claimed a 2019 Silver Slugger and 2024 Gold Glove.
