The Chicago Cubs will soon be preparing for life without Willson Contreras.
The veteran catcher declined the team’s qualifying offer and his officially hit free agency.
Free agency will begin tomorrow at 5 p.m. Eastern Time.
And there appears to be a team already showing interest in the 2016 World Series champion.
That team is the Detroit Tigers, who had a big offseason last year, but followed it up with a 96-loss season.
The catcher’s market is one worth watching, especially with somebody like Contreras at the front of it.
Contreras hit .243 with 22 home runs and 55 RBI in what may very well be his last season with the Cubs.
The Tigers are showing interest in free agent C Willson Contreras, per @jonmorosi 👀 pic.twitter.com/wuBdmwoum2
— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) November 8, 2022
Tigers Showing Interest In Contreras
The Tigers would be an interesting fit for Contreras.
If Contreras were to sign in Detroit, he would be joining a former teammate in Javier Baez.
Both players were on the Cubs’ roster for their 2016 World Series run.
The Tigers are also in the market for a catcher, as Tucker Barnhart, who they acquired last offseason, has hit the free agent market.
Contreras would give them a key bat in their lineup next to Baez, Jonathan Schoop, Spencer Torkelson, and Miguel Cabrera.
The Tigers finished in fourth place in the American League Central division in 2022, falling short of the postseason for the eighth consecutive season.
But adding Contreras would be a major improvement for a team that has not tasted postseason baseball since 2014.
Detroit will of course need to have a big offseason to improve their team, but signing Contreras would be a good start.
NEXT: Tigers Executive Reveals 2023 Javy Baez Update