Max Scherzer, Tigers end contract discussions until after 2014 season

Along with roster cuts came the news that the Detroit Tigers and Max Scherzer were unable to reach an agreement for a new contract. Scherzer's contract is up after the 2014 season.

The Tigers released this statement this morning:

"The Detroit Tigers have made a substantial, long-term contract extension offer to Max Scherzer that would have placed him among the highest paid pitchers in baseball, and the offer was rejected. 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."

Speaking with the press at the same the time the statement was released, Tigers president and general manager added a bit of detail to the situation.

Via MLive:

"We made him an offer that would have placed him among the highest paid pitchers in baseball," Dombrowski said.

Dombrowski said it was a personal record for the largest offer to a player that had been turned down.

"It's a record for me," Dombrowski said. "I can't speak for other people."

The Tigers began serious negotiations around the time of the winter meetings, Dombrowski told the press, but Scherzer's agent, Scott Boras, claimed only to have interest in a one-year deal. This is typical behavior for Boras -- he usually likes to take his clients to free agency rather than sign extensions. Occasional discussions continued, and Dombrowski said he gave the team's top offer around March 20.

While this isn't exactly surprising news, it reiterates that after this season the pitching core will look very different if the Tigers and Scherzer are unable to close on a deal after the 2014 season.