In news that may make Detroit Tigers fans cringe, pitcher Max Scherzer has rejected the club’s offer and now negotiations have stopped.
According to CBS Sports, Scherzer and the team could not come to terms on the extension and the right-hander’s rejection has ended contract talks until after the season.
"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," the team said Sunday in a statement.
ESPN reported that the offer was in the neighborhood of at least $24 million a year, just a bit lower than the $25.7 million per year that Justin Verlander signed for with his extension last spring.
The organization stressed that the team’s intentions have been to keep the 29-year-old in Detroit, but any further in-season negotiations have been halted as the ball club shifts its focus to the main goal of winning a championship.
Last year, Scherzer went 21-3 for the Tigers and had an ERA of 2.90.
The reigning Cy Young Award winner will be eligible for free agency after the 2014 season.
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