Tigers GM Takes Jab After Reported Alex Bregman-Red Sox Deal

The Boston Red Sox reportedly made a major splash Wednesday night when Alex Bregman agreed to a three-year deal for $120 million.

Boston beat out other suitors for the two-time World Series champion, including the Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros. In the end, $40 million in average annual value and a pair of opt-outs brought the Red Sox the right-handed impact bat they needed.

The Tigers brought back free-agent starter Jack Flaherty, who they traded at the deadline to the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, but could not close the deal for Bregman. Detroit general manager Scott Harris still feels confident in his team’s abilities without the talented infielder.

“We want players who want to be here,” Harris told reporters, per Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. “I say it a lot because I mean it. We want players who want to be Tigers. We made a very compelling offer to Alex Bregman, but he chose to sign somewhere else. That’s fine. We knew that was a possibility throughout this process, and we planned for that outcome.”

Detroit advanced to the American League Division Series last year after a series win over Bregman’s former team, the Astros, in the wild-card round. Harris wanted to make that memory clear after Bregman’s decision to join the Red Sox.

“We’re going to be just fine without Alex Bregman, and we still have a clubhouse that just got into the postseason and just beat a team with Alex Bregman, so it clearly can be done,” Harris added.

The Red Sox visit the Tigers in May before they host Detroit at Fenway Park in the final series of the regular season.