The Tigers could fill their need behind the plate in a big way this winter. The club is eyeing three-time All-Star Willson Contreras in free agency, according to MLB Network.
Contreras spent the past seven seasons with the Cubs, where he overlapped for four years with Tigers new president of baseball operations Scott Harris. He will be the top catcher on the free agent market after an All-Star season in which he hit 22 homers and posted an .815 OPS.
The Tigers are moving on from Tucker Barnhart, the veteran who elected free agency last week after the worst offensive season of his career. They could re-sign Eric Haase, but his defensive limitations make him more of a bench bat than an everyday catcher.
Detroit is also expecting the return of Jake Rogers, who missed all of last season recovering from Tommy John.
Contreras, 30, would give the Tigers a steadying presence for their young rotation and a bat for the middle of their lineup, a proven star at a position where they haven't had one since Pudge Rodriguez.
Which would cost a pretty penny: Contreras is expected to seek a contract in the neighborhood of $100 million. Catcher J.T. Realmuto got a five-year, $115 million deal with the Phillies in 2021 as a two-time All-Star at the age of 29.
If the Tigers balk at that price for a catcher who's likely on the backside of his prime, they could turn to the trade market instead.
The Blue Jays are looking to move a catcher for pitching help this offseason and could revisit the talks they had with the Tigers at the trade deadline last season, according to MLB Network.
Toronto has a surplus of talent behind the plate in Alejandro Kirk and Danny Jansen, both of whom are coming off breakout years, and Gabriel Moreno, the former top catching prospect in baseball who debuted last season.
Kirk, the starting catcher for the AL All-Star team last season, hit .285 with more walks than strikeouts, which could appeal to Harris and the Tigers as they try to improve their discipline at the plate. Jansen hit .260 with an .855 OPS in 72 games.
Harris has said he intends to "make a lot of moves" this winter to improve the Tigers' roster, some of which will be "calculated risks." If the Jays want late-inning relievers in exchange for a catcher, the Tigers could dangle Alex Lange, Joe Jimenez and/or All-Star closer Gregory Soto.
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