Max Scherzer was one of the biggest stories of the 2013 season, finishing 21-3 with a 2.90 ERA and a probable Cy Young Award. He was the leader on a a Detroit Tigers pitching staff which was one of the best in the history of baseball, and he will be a huge part of the team's quest for the World Series in 2014.

Or will he?

With Scherzer's contract expiring after next season, he will likely command an extremely substantial raise based on his success from this past season. Scott Boras is his agent too, so, you know how that goes.

The Tigers will be able to afford his contract regardless of how high it has to be, but should they ship him off this winter while his value is at an all-time high? Sure, he has been a solid pitcher throughout his fairly young career, but was his 2013 too good to happen again?

Here's the deal.

Detroit would get a significant return for Scherzer, but what do the Tigers really need? They are obviously not in the rebuilding process, so a bunch of high-caliber prospects wouldn't make too much sense. Trading Max for some more depth starters wouldn't make any sense either since the rotation pretty much cannot get any better.

Offense? Sure, some of the bats went quiet in the postseason, but that lineup may also be the best in baseball. On paper, at least.

The only real spot where the Tigers need significant help is the bullpen. They failed to address the issue last offseason and sure enough, it came back to bite them this year. But is there any return of relief pitchers worth giving up the Cy Young winner for?

Now, in all likelyhood, Scherzer will take a (minor) step back in 2014 and Justin Verlander will once again distinguish himself as the ace in Detroit. Nevertheless, Max will likely still be an all-star pitcher and an extremely valuable asset to have next October. After all, they say pitching wins out in the playoffs, right?

If it becomes clear that Scherzer will not be playing in Detroit come 2015, it goes without saying that the smart thing to do would be to trade him away and at least get something of substance in return. For now, though, it would be extremely difficult to find a deal involving Scherzer that helps the Tigers rather than hurts them in a season where they will be considered oen of the favorites to win it all.