The Tigers will scout a number of players in the Cardinals farm system from a list the teams have agreed upon. They'll then have their choice of player later in the year.

Mike Maroth, who will turn 30 years old this August, is 5-2 with a 5.06 ERA this season after rejoining the rotation this spring. He missed much of last year following surgery to remove bone chips from his left elbow.

Maroth has remained healthy all season in his return, but his struggles with hits allowed -- 97 over 78 1/3 innings -- and the emergence of other starters in Chad Durbin and Andrew Miller, put him on the trading block once Kenny Rogers neared his return from surgery to repair arteries in his throwing shoulder. Rogers will make his first start of the season Friday night against the Braves, and the Tigers needed to make room for him on the roster to activate him from the disabled list.

In addition, Nate Robertson is likely returning from the DL next week after tossing six no-hit innings in a rehab outing for Double-A Erie on Thursday afternoon. Zach Miner, who has been working out of the bullpen but can start, is also rehabbing at Erie and could also return after a couple more outings.

Along with third baseman Brandon Inge, Maroth was one of the longest tenured Tigers. He made his Major League debut on June 8, 2002, and has been in the big leagues ever since, save for a month-long rehab stint at Triple-A Toledo last August in his comeback attempt from surgery.

In the end, Mike Maroth's downfall might well have been the Tigers' emergence as a pitching-deep organization. Miller is threatening to take a full-time rotation spot a year after being drafted, joining fellow youngsters Jeremy Bonderman and Justin Verlander. Meanwhile, Dallas Trahern is excelling at Erie.

The Cardinals are a team in need of starting pitching in their struggle to defend their World Series title. Chris Carpenter, Braden Looper and Mark Mulder are all on the disabled list, while Anthony Reyes and Kip Wells are a combined 3-19 so far this season.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs. - Source: Detroit Tigers News Release