MLB rumors: Tigers want to reunite Alex Bregman with A.J. Hinch, D-backs listening to offers for outfielder

The non-tender deadline is 8 p.m. ET Friday, which means the pool of free agents is about to grow with some possible bargains. For a primer on that, R.J. Anderson has you covered. 

We’re otherwise still in a relatively dead period as it pertains to player movement here in the offseason. The free agency market is likely to heat up after Thanksgiving weekend and the trade market should go hand-in-hand there. In the meantime, there are always some rumors to sort through, so let’s get to it. 

Bregman’s market is hot

The Tigers have shown interest in free agent third baseman Alex Bregman, according to Jon Heyman. After a surprise run to the ALDS, which included eliminating Bregman’s Astros in the Wild Card Series, the Tigers are looking to keep the momentum going and don’t have much salary on the books moving forward. Plus, Bregman’s former manager A.J. Hinch is the Tigers’ manager now. 

Of course, the Tigers are obviously not the only team in on Bregman. The Astros have already made an offer and have made it clear their priority this offseason is re-signing Bregman. Others will be involved and Heyman reports the Red Sox “inquired.” Such a signing would mean moving Rafael Devers across the diamond to first base, though that’s a move that would likely be happening in the next few years anyway. 

There are very likely plenty of other teams interested, too, but the Tigers and Red Sox inclusions here are fun. 

D-backs could deal an outfielder

The Diamondbacks have been hearing from other teams interested in one of their outfielders capable of playing center field every day, reports the Arizona Republic. That would be one from the trio of Corbin Carroll, Jake McCarthy and Alek Thomas. With left fielder Lourdes Gurriel in house, it might seem like a waste of resources or, at a bare minimum, a strength from which they could deal to shore up weaknesses elsewhere. 

“We’ll see,” D-backs general manager Mike Hazen said. “I’m still skeptical that a trade is going to happen, but we’ve gotten a lot of calls. There’s not many center fielders out there is what I’m gathering.”

Carroll is a franchise centerpiece for Arizona, so any trade would involve either Thomas or McCarthy. 

The left-handed McCarthy hit .285/.349/.400 (109 OPS+) with 25 steals and 1.7 WAR last season. He’s 27 years old. 

Thomas, 24, is also a lefty, so it isn’t like the duo can platoon with one another. In 39 games last season, he hit .189/.245/.358.