Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Max Scherzer. Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
Max Scherzer will learn soon enough the consequences of shaking off the six-year, $144 million offer from the Detroit Tigers.
Scherzer, 30, is a headline free agent on the starting pitching market with Oakland Athletics left-hander Jon Lester, James Shields of the Kansas City Royals and Jeff Samardzija, who split last season between the Chicago Cubs and Athletics.
The Tigers are still interested in retaining Scherzer but hedged at the trade deadline by giving up prospects for Tampa Bay Rays left-hander David Price.
Scherzer won the 2013 American League Cy Young Award and is tops in wins (55) and strikeouts (723) in the AL in the past three seasons combined.
“He did a great job for us,” Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski said. “We made a real strong effort to sign him, and now we’re really more in a waiting mode from their perspective. I’m sure they’re going to check and see what’s out there on the market, and we’ll see what takes place.”
Agent Scott Boras represents Scherzer and was pitching him heavily at the general manager’s meetings.
“It’s a rare opportunity to get a Cy Young pitcher who has postseason experience,” Boras said. “He really has the (arm) of a 25- or 26-year old. This is like signing a 25- or 26-year-old pitcher.”
Scherzer is reportedly on the radar of the Chicago Cubs, who are scheduled to host Lester next week. Lester’s representatves met with the Boston Red Sox to discuss a potential reunion earlier this week in Arizona.
“He’s a very proven guy, proven in our market,” Red Sox GM Ben Cherington said.
Lester said in March, while still a member of the Red Sox with open contract dialogue, that he would have had a tough time passing on $140 million as Scherzer did. Lester did decline a four-year, $70 million offer.
“I don’t have (his contract) sitting in front of me. If it was sitting in front of me, we could talk. It would be tough. Let’s put it that way. It would be tough,” Lester said.
