Where Unsigned Free Agents Would Fit With 2025 Detroit Tigers
ALSO: DOES JUAN SOTO SIGNING MAKE METS BETTER THAN THE BRAVES?
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Pregame Pepper
Did you know…
While the Dodgers and equally well-heeled New York teams stole the headlines by spending $1.45 billion in free agency this winter, with three NL West teams dropping a combined $180 million, six teams haven’t spent a cent: the Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres, and Seattle Mariners . . .
The Boston Red Sox, whose big fish of free agency include Walker Buehler and Aroldis Chapman, have launched contract extension talks with Garrett Crochet . . .
Two pitchers with three Cy Youngs apiece remain unsigned free agents: Clayton Kershaw, expected to return to the Dodgers, and Max Scherzer, who may be willing to accept a one-year, $15 million deal similar to those signed by Charlie Morton (Orioles) and Justin Verlander (Giants) . . .
Scherzer has been linked to Atlanta, where he’d fill the back-of-the-rotation role held by Morton the last few seasons . . .
In the team’s second big investment of the winter, DH Brent Rooker has become the first Athletics player to sign a five-year deal since the club extended starting pitcher Trevor Cahill for $30.5MM in 2011. Last month, they added Luis Severino on a three-year, $67MM free agent deal that represented the largest in franchise history . . .
Leading Off
Detroit Tigers: How Would the Remaining Free Agents Fit?
By Joe Underhill
With the turn of the calendar, the Detroit Tigers are still looking for ways to improve their roster and build on their unlikely run to the playoffs last season.
Thus far the Tigers have made two major free-agent signings, agreeing to one-year deals with Alex Cobb and Gleyber Torres. However, they have been linked with such other prominent free agents such as Alex Bregman, Anthony Santander, Ha-Seong Kim and even Japanese superstar Roki Sasaki.
While the Tigers are unlikely to sign more than one of these players, and quite possibly may sign none, let’s look at how these players would fit on the roster and change the long-term outlook of the team.
Alex Bregman has probably been the free agent most frequently connected with the Tigers, mostly because of the team’s need for an accomplished right-handed power bat plus improved play from third base.
The big hangup is probably a combination of length and cost of the contract. A number of outlets have reported Bregman is looking for a contract north of $200 million.
Signing Bregman to a long-term contract would most likely mean the Tigers are planning to move on from one or more of their upper-level infield prospects, most notably Jace Jung.
Anthony Santander was linked to the Tigers by Even Petzold of the Detroit Free Press,who described him as the backup plan if they are not able to sign Bregman.
A switch-hitter who posted 44 home runs in 2024 is going to be appealing for every team but the defensive fit doesn’t jive with the comments Scott Harris has made since coming to Detroit.
Santander has played almost exclusively in the outfield corners (4851 out of 5080 innings), with only 73 innings coming at first base.
He is not a great defender and is a below-average runner. While his power would be a nice addition, the lack of positional versatility would create a major logjam with Kerry Carpenter, Wenceel Perez, Justyn-Henry Malloy, and Spencer Torkelson for RF/DH at- bats.
Ha-Seong Kim is coming off a major shoulder injury and it is not clear when he will be ready to play this season. He is not going to command the same type of contract that Bregman and Santander will require but he fits the mold of a multi-positional talent who can play above average defense across the infield while also providing quality at-bats.
He posted solid OPS+ marks in both 2022 and 2023. Most importantly to Detroit, if he signed a two-year deal he would give the club some insurance against a Trey Sweeney/Javier Baez flop at short, while also providing another chess piece for A.J. Hinch.
Sasaki is a long-shot to sign with the Tigers. But Scott Harris has said the Tigers will do everything they can to impress the pitcher and convince him to come to Detroit.
If they successful in signing Sasaki, he would pair with Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal to give the Tigers a pair of aces to lead their rotation. There is never enough depth in pitching rotations and adding Sasaki would not impact any of the young pitchers in Detroit’s system making it to the major leagues.
Whether the Tigers sign another prominent free agent or not, you can be sure Harris isn’t done looking for ways to improve his 2025 team.
Joe Underhill is a high school administrator and diehard baseball fan and fan of the city of Detroit. Joe currently writes for the HtP Newsletter. You can follow Joe on X (Twitter)@TransplantedDet and @transplanteddet.bsky.social.
Cleaning Up
Does Soto Signing Make Mets Better Recovered Braves?
By Dan Schlossberg
Backed by Steve Cohen’s billions, the New York Mets were one of the busiest ballclubs of the free-agent season — almost competing with the wealthy Los Angeles Dodgers in quality and quantity of new players added.
But does that wild spending spree make the Mets better on paper than the Atlanta Braves, their long-time rival?
Both clubs were wild cards last year, finishing with identical 89-73 records, but the Braves won the season’s series, as they usually do.
In the succeeding months, however, Atlanta lost free agents Max Fried and Charlie Morton from the pitching rotation, valuable veteran catcher Travis d’Arnaud, and possibly lefty set-up man A.J. Minter, still on the open market.
They added no one of consequence despite glaring needs at shortstop and left field.
The Mets, on the other hand, signed Juan Soto to a contract longer in years (15) and dollars ($765 million) than any other in professional sports.
They also kept Sean Manaea, a valuable left-handed starter, and signed free agents Frankie Montas and Clay Holmes. In addition, they traded for swift center-fielder Jose Siri.
Position-by-position, though, did the Mets make themselves the Beasts of the East?
Let’s take a look:
Catcher — Francisco Alvarez is a hands-down winner over Sean Murphy, who didn’t even reach the Mendoza Line in an injury-riddled 2024. But the Braves have a blue-chip rookie, Drake Baldwin, who is a rare contact hitter with home run power. The lefty-hitting backstop is also solid defensively. Edge: Mets (for now)
First base — Matt Olson led the majors with 54 homers two years ago and is still relatively young. If the Mets retain free agent Pete Alonso, he’s also capable of 50 but has had two down years in a row. Mark Vientos could wind up there. Edge: Braves
Second base — Switch-hitting Ozzie Albies missed months last year but is a compact powerhouse capable of 30+ homers and 100 RBIs when healthy. Jeff McNeil seems to be a veteran on the decline who could be displaced by Luisangel Acuña, younger brother of Ronald. Edge: Braves
Shortstop — Francisco Lindor is the league’s best and Orlando Arcia the league’s worst. Atlanta is trying to trade for Bo Bichette. Big edge: Mets
Third base — If slugger Austin Riley recovers from his broken hand, he might enjoy his first 40-homer season. He’s also a solid fielder. Don’t look for Vientos, Brett Baty, or Ronnie Mauricio to match him. Big edge: Braves
Left Field — Brando Nimmo gets on base, offers surprising power, and is a solid hitter in the No. 3 spot. The Braves need more than Jarred Kelenic. Big edge: Mets
Center Field — Siri is a glove-first centerfielder, while Michael Harris II is developing quickly into an elite player with five tools. Big edge: Braves
Right Field — Even though Soto is coming off a 41-homer season with the Yankees, the return of Ronald Acuña, Jr. from a torn ACL makes him a better bet. In 2023, he had the only 40/70 season in baseball history, batted .337, and won the MVP award by unanimous vote. Plus he’s better defensively than Soto. Slight edge: Braves
Rotation — Even without Fried, the Braves still have a rotation consisting of Triple Crown winner Chris Sale and fellow Cy Young candidates Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach, and Reynaldo Lopez. The Mets, minus Luis Severino and Jose Quintana from last year, can’t match that even if Kodai Senga comes back strong after an injury-riddled season. Big Edge: Braves
Bullpen — New York’s Edwin Diaz is arguably the best closer in baseball but underrated Raisel Iglesias isn’t far behind. Both teams need to beef up their supporting casts, though the Braves may be hard-pressed to replace Minter (if he leaves) and Joe Jimenez (out for the year with knee surgery). Slight edge: Mets
Outlook — Healing from old injuries and preventing new ones will decide the division. The Mets and Braves have been at laggerheads ever since the Braves started their string of 14 straight divisional titles in 1991. If money buys happiness, the Mets are in like Flint. But there’s much to be said for growing your own.
Former AP sportwriter Dan Schlossberg of Fair Lawn, NJ covers baseball for forbes.com, USA TODAY Sports Weekly, Sports Collectors Digest, Memories & Dreams, Here’s The Pitch, and other outlets. He’s also written 42 baseball books, including two Hank Aaron biographies. Dan’s email is ballauthor@gmail.com.
Extra Innings: What’s Happening in San Diego?
When Peter Seidler was running the San Diego Padres, the small-market club climbed to respectability by spending wildly on big-name free agents . . .
Since his death after the 2023 season, however, the Seidler family (with a controlling 45 per cent ownership stake) has been unable to agree on who should be the club’s control person . . .
His widow has now filed suit against two of her brothers-in-law, charging them with fraud, fiscal misbehavior, mismanagement of the ballclub, and even banning her family from the owners box . . .
John Seidler, Peter’s oldest brother, is the interim control person but has not been approved by the other owners, as required by MLB rules . . .
Matthew Seidler, the youngest sibling, refuted all of Sherry’s charges in a letter sent to media outlets that published the story the day after the suit became public . . .
The dispute recalls the days when the bitter divorce proceedings of Frank and Jamie McCourt threw the Los Angeles Dodgers into bankuptcy court and resulted in sale of the club to its current owners, the Guggenheim group, 13 years ago.
Know Your Editors
HERE’S THE PITCH is published daily except Sundays and holidays. Benjamin Chase [gopherben@gmail.com] handles the Monday issue with Dan Freedman [dfreedman@lionsgate.com] editing Tuesday and Jeff Kallman [easyace1955@outlook.com] at the helm on Wednesday and Thursday. The last original editor, Dan Schlossberg [ballauthor@gmail.com], edits the weekend editions on Friday and Saturday. Former editor Elizabeth Muratore [nymfan97@gmail.com] is now co-director [with Benjamin Chase and Jonathan Becker] of the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America, which publishes this newsletter and the annual ACTA book of the same name. Readers are encouraged to contribute comments, articles, and letters to the editor. HtP reserves the right to edit for brevity, clarity, and good taste.