Report: Tigers Open To Trading Scherzer Or Porcello
By 97.1 The Ticket staff
Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com is reporting on his Twitter account today that the Detroit Tigers are telling teams they are willing to trading starting pitchers Rick Porcello or Max Scherzer.
It would make perfect sense for the Tigers to look at trades for their Cy-Young hopeful Max Scherzer. Scherzer, 29, is in his final year of his contract and will likely command a contract upwards to $100 million next off-season. Scherzer is not a player you want to lose in free agency for nothing, so if you can not sign him then you may as well try to get as much as you can while his stock is at an all time high.
Porcello is coming off his best season in the bigs. Porcello finished the 2013 season with a 4.32 ERA and a 13-8 win loss record. Porcello, who will be 25 in December has upside and is an attractive piece to teams looking for good young arms with MLB experience.
Seeing the Tigers will also have to sign slugger Miguel Cabrera to what likely would be the biggest contract in MLB history which expires after the 2015 season.
The Detroit Tigers had fifth highest payroll this past season at $148,414,500.
The question that needs to be asked is what the Tigers could get in return for either pitcher. You would figure that it likely would have to include a MLB ready left fielder, unless Nick Castellanos is ready to be the Tigers everyday left fielder. In that case the Tigers would need second base help with Omar Infante being a free agent this season. The Tigers are also in the market for bullpen help as their closer Joaquin Benoit is a free agent.