Report: Yankees Considering Pursuit Of Scherzer
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
CBS DETROIT - If the Detroit Tigers want to bring back starting pitcher Max Scherzer, they might have to outbid the New York Yankees to do so, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
Heyman reports that the Yankees, initially expected to not be pursuing any of this season's big-name free agents, are considering going after Scherzer, who in 2014 nearly duplicated his stellar 2013 season that won him a Cy Young. The Yankees reportedly met with Scherzer's agent Scott Boras at some point following the general manager meetings.
"With a rotation that leads the league in question marks, it's no wonder the Yankees might rethink their original plan," Heyman wrote. "Two weeks ago, the word was no way they would. Later it was upgraded to probably not. And now it seems to be bordering on a maybe."
The Tigers made Scherzer a six-year, $144 million offer before the 2014 season, but Scherzer turned it down. The Tigers issued a statement confirming the pitcher's rejection of what the team clearly considered a generous contract. Any hard feelings between the parties did not seem to bother Scherzer on the field, however. He finished the season with an ERA of 3.15 over 220 1/3 innings and recorded an American League-high 18 wins. Scherzer pitched better as the season neared its conclusion; in his final 14 starts, he recorded 106 strikeouts in 94 innings and turned in an ERA of 2.87.
Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski has not expressed optimism about bringing Scherzer back, saying after the season that the odds of re-signing Scherzer were better earlier rather than in free agency. When Dombrowski spoke Friday on the chances of Scherzer staying in Detroit, he did not rule out of the possibility, but he intimated that the question of whether Scherzer will return will not be answered for a while.
"I have no idea," Dombrowski said. "I wouldn't even expect to at this point. Again, it's only the middle of November. He has Scott as his representative, and he generally doesn't move things quickly. So I wouldn't even think I'd have a pulse on that."
Scherzer's 2013 season set up him up for a gargantuan free agency payday, and the Tigers already have significant money wrapped in the contracts of Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez, Anibal Sanchez, Justin Verlander and Ian Kinsler. Team owner Mike Ilitch just authorized a four-year, $68 million deal for Martinez, however, so the Tigers could hang onto the best hitter in the game. With the way Ilitch has spent in the past, it seems premature to assume he would not loosen the purse strings again so the Tigers have a chance at one of the game's best pitchers.
