Tigers unlikely to pursue Stephen Drew

After Jose Iglesias' shin injury was reportedly determined to be season-threatening earlier in the week, a storm of speculation made Detroit seem like a perfect destination for free agent shortstop Stephen Drew. Now, according to Lynn Henning of The Detroit News, GM Dave Dombrowski has made it clear that the team will not pursue Drew, and that they will likely go with internal options to fill their shortstop void.

Henning notes that Danny Worth, Eugenio Suarez and Hernan Perez are among the team's internal candidates to take over for Iglesias, and that a trade for a shortstop is still a possibility as well. He lists Jimmy Rollins of the Phillies, Darwin Barney of the Cubs, and Nick Franklin of the Mariners as potential trade candidates if the team decides that their internal options are not deemed competent enough.

Drew, who has seen his market stalled due to teams' unwillingness to part with a draft pick in order to sign him, has been looking for a multi-year deal all winter and has been linked to the Red Sox, Yankees and Mets. Many thought that he would be willing to take a one-year, high-value contract with the Tigers in wake of Iglesias' injury, but it now appears that his wait will continue. Agent Scott Boras expressed earlier in the week that Drew was willing to wait until after the draft in June to sign, so that may be the most probable option if the Tigers are out of the race.