The Detroit Tigers are reportedly open to trading ace pitcher Max Scherzer, if an enticing offer is placed on the table, a reliable league source disclosed on Thursday.

Scherzer, whose current deal with the Tigers will expire at the end of next season, is one of the hottest trade targets heading into spring training.

Fresh off winning his first Cy Young Award, Scherzer is expected to command a lucrative deal when he becomes a free agent. The Tigers have expressed their desire to keep the righthanded hurler, but they are already tied up with other big time contracts to Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera, making their plans to re-sign Scherzer a bit tricky.

MLB Insider Jeff Pasan already said Scherzer is still in play on the trading front, despite the Tigers' insistence that they are not going to trade their ace pitcher.

"Sources: AL Cy Young winner Max Scherzer "definitely in play" in trade talks. Nothing imminent, but teams know he can be had," Passan tweeted.

The Arizona Diamondbacks, the team that traded Scherzer to the Tigers in 2009, is reportedly very interested in getting back the pitcher either via trade or next winter, when he's set to become a free agent.

Verlander Not Going To Recruit Fellow Ace

Meanwhile, Tigers' starting pitcher Justin Verlander said he's not going to recruit Scherzer to stay with the Tigers, adding that the hurler has the right to decide his own fate.

"Max is his own guy....He's going to make his own decisions, but I don't think I need to be a recruiter," Verlander told Tigers beat writer Jason Beck.  "I think from what he's been saying, he's made it loud and clear that that he wants to stay in Detroit....I think what this organization has done has recruited him - not just the players here. I think he enjoys being part of this team."

Verlander and Scherzer form part of the Tigers' fearsome starting rotation, which is predicted to dominate again this upcoming season.