Detroit Tigers pitcher Max Scherzer has one year left on his contract, but rumors about his future in Detroit have been swirling, including speculation of whether he could be traded.
Earlier this week, the 29-year-old right-hander won his first AL Cy Young, after finishing the season with a 21-3 record and 2.90 ERA. Many believe that the Tigers' front office could fetch a big return by selling high on Scherzer in what is shaping up to be a thin market for top-tier starting pitchers.
In an interview with MLB Network Radio, Scherzer stated that he wanted to remain with the Tigers beyond the upcoming season, even though there are currently no ongoing negotiations for an extension.
"I don't want to be traded," Scherzer said, via the Detroit Free Press. "I got a great thing going in Detroit, we have a great team. I hope they don't mess with it. I want to be a Detroit Tiger and hopefully get back to the playoffs and try to do the ultimate goal and win something for the city of Detroit."
Detroit had Scherzer on the books for $6.73 million in 2013, which is an awfully nice price for a 20-game winner. However, Scherzer's salary is expected to take a big jump next season through arbitration.
In response to the ongoing media speculation, Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski, who oversaw the fifth highest payroll in baseball last season ($148 million) gave somewhat of a bland response.
"We like Max, and he likes Detroit," Dombrowski said, according to ESPN.com. "We'll see what happens."
These kinds of discussions are nothing new for Scherzer, who was traded from the Diamondbacks to the Tigers back in 2009.
"When you've been traded before in your career, you get the business side of the game," he said. "You also get the payroll obligations that we have in Detroit. I get it. I get there's an element where there's a possibility of would it make sense for Detroit to trade me."
Scherzer, along with Justin Verlander anchored arguably the best starting rotation in all of baseball this season. That staff, along with AL MVP Miguel Cabrera, guided the Tigers to the ALCS, where they fell to the eventual World Champion Boston Red Sox.