Detroit Tigers Don’t Sound Interested in Nelson Cruz

July 14, 2013; Detroit, MI, USA; Texas Rangers right fielder

(17) at bat in front of Detroit Tigers catcher

(13) at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

According to a tweet by Detroit Tigers beat writer Jason Beck, general manager Dave Dombrowski is still implying that the team is done making moves for the offseason.

Of course, we can never read too much into these kinds of things — general managers never come off sounding over-eager about any one particular free agent — but it really does sound like Cruz and the Tigers aren’t going to end up together. He didn’t come out and say “we’re not going to sign Nelson Cruz”, but neither did he indicate that were having any sort of discussion with a major free agent name.

My guess is that the Tigers would potentially be interested in Cruz, but that the two sides probably aren’t close in terms of what they each think constitutes a fair offer. Cruz, for all we know, is still looking for $15 million (or more) per season, but I can’t really see the Tigers getting interested unless that demand fell into the single-digits. And by that point he’d probably be scooped up by a team that actually could use either a marginal outfielder or designated hitter.