MLB Rumors: Max Scherzer turns down offer from Detroit Tigers, contract extension talks on hold
By Hayden Kane
The Detroit Tigers released their own little bit of news regarding ace starting pitcher and reigning Cy Young award winner Max Scherzer.
#tigers announce they made offer to max scherzer that's been rejected, say they will now concentrate on field thru season.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) March 23, 2014
If this type of press release seems unusual, that’s because it is.
Unusual step: #Tigers announce they made “substantial, long-term contract offer” to RHP Max Scherzer, and that offer was rejected.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 23, 2014
The team took the chance to say, in no uncertain terms, that these talks will not be re-opened (and with a veiled shot at Scherzer to boot). From the release:
"As we have reiterated, it has been the organization’s intent to extend Max’s contract and keep him in a Tigers uniform well beyond the 2014 season. While this offer would have accomplished that, the ballclub’s focus remains on the start of the upcoming season, and competing for a World Championship. Moving forward there will be no further in-season negotiation and the organization will refrain from commenting on this matter.”"
The talks never seemed to gain much momentum this off-season, with Opening Day set as an arbitrary deadline. Rosenthal believes that an extension was never likely.
Extension for #Tigers’ Scherzer was always a longshot. Scott Boras generally prefers clients to establish their values on the open market.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 23, 2014
Jeff Passan of Yahoo! notes that it might not have been as much of a long shot as we thought.
One of the big post-Fielder trade talking points was freeing up money to sign Max Scherzer. Do Tigers now focus on extending Miguel Cabrera?
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 23, 2014
Oh, to have the Tigers’ problems.
As for Scherzer, this now sets him up for a gigantic payday in free agency a year from now if he pitches anywhere near the level he reached during 2013.