According to baseball writer Danny Knobler from CBSsports.com, there is a real possibility that the Tigers trade pitcher Max Scherzer this offseason.

“The Rays will almost certainly trade David Price,” Knobler said. “But there’s also a very real chance that the Tigers trade Max Scherzer, according to sources.

Since Scherzer’s agent is Scott Boras, Knobler wrote, he will likely to test the free agency waters at the end of the year, rather than sign a long-term deal with the Tigers.

The Tigers signed Scherzer to a one-year deal for $6.725 million in order to avoid arbitration. If both sides want to go the same route before the 2014 season, Scherzer’s salary may go up as much as $20 million.

If Scherzer’s intent is to sign with another team, he picked a good time to have a career year, going 21-3 while posting a 2.90 ERA and striking out 240. He also lead the league in WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) with 0.970.

Due to the fact that Scherzer may ultimately win the AL Cy Young award because of his achievements, the Tigers will receive plenty of prospects if they decide to trade him. The Baltimore Orioles, Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Yankees have reported interest in the ace.

This won’t be the first time that a past Cy Young winner has been traded right after winning the award. It was just last season that the New York Mets traded the NL Cy Young winner R.A. Dickey to the Toronto Blue Jays. In 1997, Pedro Martinez was traded to the Boston Red Sox from the Montreal Expos after winning the NL Cy Young.

If the Tigers give Scherzer a long-term, $20 million per year contract, it will be hard to re-sign the other players that are soon-to-be free agents, that includes third baseman Miguel Cabrera, who has two years left on his contract. Detroit  will most likely try not to have the same situation with Cabrera as they are having with Scherzer.