The Detroit Tigers may have already sent Doug Fister to the Washington Nationals via trade this week, but this latest move doesn't mean reigning AL Cy Young Winner Max Scherzer will be untouchable from a major trade this offseason, a source close to situation reported ths week.

The Tigers are slowly overhauling their entire roster to usher in a young and dynamic team for their future campaigns. Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski has already made a couple of shrewd moves by trading Fister to the Nationals for several young prospects and Fielder to the Texas Rangers for solid slugger Ian Kinsler. 

Then again, despite all these deals, the Tigers are still left with one big puzzle to solve, and it's whether or not they should trade Scherzer this winter.

Scherzer's Detroit Days Still Numbered

Despite winning his first Cy Young award, Scherzer's future with the Tigers remains uncertain. In fact, the unloading of Fister and Fielder's paychecks should not be interpreted as a measuring stick that the Tigers are ready to sign a megadeal with Scherzer, according to Dombrowski.

"Dombrowski made clear that the Fister trade shouldn't be interpreted as a sign the Tigers are close to a mega-extension with Scherzer," the Tigers GM told Jon Paul Marosi via Fox Sports.

As the Tigers and Scherzer's rep Scott Boras struggle to get themselves on the same page with regards to an extension, chances are higher that Detroit's ace hurler will be traded soon.

According to Detroit Free Press, the Nationals first asked the Tigers about the availability of Scherzer before submitting an offer for Fister. Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo confirmed that he indeed asked the Tigers if they were willing to trade their ace pitcher.

"We originally kicked the tires" on all three of those Detroit starters. Rizzo told Detroit Free Press. "After the GM meetings, though, "we turned our focus mostly towards Doug Fister."

The Nationals are only one of many teams willing to surrender some of their key players and prospects for a chance at landing arguably the best hurler in the Major League Baseball right now. However, it seems the Tigers are still keeping their cards close to the chest for now.