After finishing last in the American League East for the first time in 11 years, the Toronto Blue Jays are hungry for impact additions. The World Series is around the corner, but it’s never too early to heat up the Hot Stove. Rumors are swirling about a potential free-agent move. ESPN’s Buster Olney reveals that a perennial All-Star third baseman may be on the move, and the Toronto Blue Jays could be a surprise suitor. Olney joined First Up on TSN 1050 on Tuesday morning to discuss the chances of the Blue Jays pursuing Alex Bregman.
“He’s a proven winner, he’s a really good third baseman, he can hit, he would help to lengthen out their lineup,” Olney said.
Alex Bregman Drawing Interest from Blue Jays
Bregman, 30, is coming off the final season of a five-year, $100 million deal with the Houston Astros. The two-time All-Star received MVP votes in four of his nine MLB seasons. He was a member of both the 2017 and 2022 World Series championship teams. In the 2024 season, he finished hitting .260 with 26 home runs. His walk rate was 6.9%, while his strikeout rate stood at 13.6%.
“We know the Blue Jays have been looking to fill the third base spot more permanently for the past couple of years,” Olney said.
“They made Matt Chapman [an] offer for about $125 million early in the 2023 season, and Bregman fits [the team’s needs] in a lot of ways.”
Bregman is expected to be a hot commodity on the free agent market this winter. The Blue Jays will have no shortage of competition in acquiring his services, according to Olney. The Blue Jays third basemen hit .259/.293/.409 with 16 home runs, placing them in the league’s bottom ten.
“Here’s the thing: Not only does Houston want him back – and I do think there are limits to what the Astros can offer him – but there’s another team that’s on the rise in the American League that could also use a third baseman, and that would be the Detroit Tigers.”
Tigers Could Use Bregman’s Services
There’s familiarity for Bregman in Detroit, they are managed by A.J. Hinch, who was Bregman’s manager in Houston.
“They’ve got a lot of payroll flexibility … I think, given their late-season success, given the excellence of their players and what they’re building there, and given Hinch’s influence, it wouldn’t be at all surprise me if they made a run at Alex as someone who could be an anchor for these players on the Tigers,” Olney said.
Detroit made a surprising run to the postseason. They won 32 of their last 48 games, jumping from a record of 54-60 to 86-76. Like Toronto, they struggled for production at third base. The team hit just .234/.294/.350 collectively. Their 11 home runs from that position ranked fifth from the bottom of the majors.
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