Tigers extend qualifying offers to Max Scherzer, Victor Martinez

The Detroit Tigers extended $15.3 million qualifying offers to pitcher Max Scherzer and first baseman-designated hitter Victor Martinez, the team announced.

The Detroit Tigers extended $15.3 million qualifying offers to pitcher Max Scherzer and first baseman-designated hitter Victor Martinez, the team announced.

Qualifying offers are based on the average of the top 125 contracts in major league baseball.

Scherzer, the 2013 American League Cy Young Award winner, went 18-5 with a 3.15 ERA and 252 strikeouts in 2014. Scherzer reportedly turned down a six-year, $144 million offer from the team during spring training, eventually signing an arbitration-avoiding one-year deal for $15.525 million.

Martinez finished second in the majors in batting average and slugging percentage, and also led the majors with a .974 OPS. He hit 32 home runs and drove in 103 runs while striking out only 42 times. He made $12 million in 2014, the final season of a four-year, $50 million deal.

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Both players have until 5 p.m. on Nov. 10 to accept or decline the Tigers' offer.

Of the 22 MLB players that have been extended qualifying offers in the past two seasons, none have accepted.

If Scherzer and Martinez turn down the offer and sign with another team, Detroit would receive compensation picks in next year’s First-Year Player Draft.

- Scooby Axson