Free agent pitcher Max Scherzer, a 30-year-old former Cy Young winner, is now the clear-cut top pitcher on the market after Jon Lester inked a six-year, $155 million contract with the Chicago Cubs. Clearly Scherzer valued himself as such from the beginning though, as Fox Sports 1's Jon Morosi reports he's seeking a deal worth more than $200 million.
Max Scherzer is seeking a guarantee of more than $200 million, which only one pitcher (Clayton Kershaw) has achieved in MLB history.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 10, 2014
There aren't any teams that wouldn't improve by adding a hurler the caliber of Scherzer, but the prohibitive price tag could scare many interested teams away. These are the teams that figure to be involved in the bidding for him.
New York Yankees
The Yankees have been exceptionally frugal this offseason. That may be that they are uninterested in adding more huge contracts to a roster that already has five players making $100 million or more over the next two seasons, but it could also be them biding their time for one big splash.
Despite a number of injuries last year the Yankees were in the playoff hunt until September. They dodged a bullet when Masahiro Tanaka avoided Tommy John surgery following a torn UCL, but they could use more help in the rotation in case CC Sabathia is finished as an elite starter.
Scherzer is AL-proven, and few teams have deeper financial reserves than the Yanks.
Los Angeles Dodgers
One would think the Dodgers are set with the best pitcher in baseball, Clayton Kershaw, heading up the rotation with another former Cy Young, Zack Greinke, behind him.
But top tier pitching is hard to find, and the Dodgers may actually have a lot of money freed up soon. They already lost high-priced shortstop Hanley Ramirez to the Boston Red Sox this offseason, and appear intent on shipping out Matt Kemp, who will be paid $21 million-plus through 2019.
If they are able to move Kemp, their budget can more than likely absorb a big contract for Scherzer.
San Francisco Giants
The Giants were reportedly in on Jon Lester for quite some time before getting beaten out by the Cubs. Scherzer's been better than Lester in his career though, with the exception of 2014, and they also had a boatload of money freed up by losing Pablo Sandoval to Boston.
The Giants already have an ace in Madison Bumgarner, and must worry about competently filling their new hole at third base, but adding a former Cy Young winner has a way of covering up flaws in other areas.
Boston Red Sox
The theme of Boston signing away other teams' stars can't be lost here. Yes they've committed a tremendous amount of money to Ramirez and Sandoval already, but the rotation is thin.
The addition of Ramirez also has created an outfield glut; Boston's intention is to leave Xander Bogaerts alone at shortstop and transition Ramirez to left field. That opens the door for Yoenis Cespedes and his $10.5 million in 2015 to be dealt, and creates room to fit Scherzer.
Atlanta Braves
The Braves appeared to be stealth contenders to land Lester, and if they showed interest in him it's a reasonable leap to think they may kick the tires on Scherzer. They have been rumored to be shopping outfielder Justin Upton, which would rid them of $14.5 million, and could use a high-end starter to pair with youngster Julio Teheran.
The restraints on what president of baseball operations John Hart can spend aren't known, but Scherzer is the kind of stopper who may have helped prevent Atlanta's late slide out of postseason contention last year.
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