How the Mookie Betts trade cost the Tigers outfielder Kevin Pillar

Lakeland, Fla. – Kevin Pillar, the former Blue Jays center fielder, came oh-so-close to signing with the Tigers in early February. In fact, he’d already received the blessing of his wife and family.

“I was very close to signing,” he said. “I’d actually called one of my former teammates who is on the current roster and talked for about 30 minutes. I was wrapping my brain around what would it be like in Detroit and I relayed all this to my family.

'We have a baby coming in April. I wanted to know about that, too, if my wife was going to be happy and I think she would be happy in Detroit.”

As they were making plans and checking out housing in Birmingham, with pitchers and catchers starting to report for spring training, the Mookie Betts drama began. The trade sending Betts from the Red Sox to the Dodgers was first announced Feb. 6.

The initial deal was delayed and reworked and became official Feb. 10. By this point, Pillar was getting antsy.

“It just got to a point where I wanted to know where I was going to go,” he said. “I’ve got a young family. I wanted to understand where I was going to play next year and I was starting to wrap my brain around what organization I was going to play for.

“Shortly after the second time Mookie was traded, conversations started to pick up with Detroit and then the Red Sox called. It just seemed like a better opportunity.”

Pillar, 31, ended up signing a one-year deal with the Red Sox for $4.25 million and was hitting leadoff and playing right field against the Tigers Monday.

The Tigers ended up signing veteran Cameron Maybin for one-year, $1.5 million with incentives.

“It just seemed like a better opportunity,” Pillar said. “A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play for a team like the Red Sox. I have some familiarity in that (American League East) division, too, and last year it was really difficult changing leagues for the first time (he ended the season with the Giants). It almost felt like you were playing a different game.

“So I wanted to stay in the division. As much as I wanted to stay on the West Coast and be closer to home, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play for the Red Sox. Seemed like a pretty good fit.”

That the Red Sox are still a contending team and the Tigers are rebuilding played a role in his decision, too, he said.

“It had a lot to do with it, yes,” he said. “I feel like my game is best-suited for a team that’s built to win right now. Though I’m not saying I wouldn’t be a good fit anywhere I went. I am confident I could’ve brought some of my expertise and leadership qualities to a team that’s rebuilding.

“But this had nothing to do with the city of Detroit. Everyone I talked to, friends of mine who played in Detroit, they all spoke very highly of it.”

Twitter @cmccosky