The Tigers can’t be ruled out as a potential suitor for Roy Halladay, the Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo suggests, if for no bigger reason than owner Mike Ilitch’s recent track record for spending lots of money to try to win. It was Ilitch, after all, that gave some push to the Tigers to acquire Miguel Cabrera from Florida two years ago, and signed him to an eight-year, $152.3 million contract. Ilitch’s willingness has also allowed the Tigers to maintain payroll over $125 million and swallow Gary Sheffield’s $13.6 million salary to release the slugger out of spring training.

The Tigers have a question at the back end of their rotation, where lefty Luke French will make his third Major League start coming out of the All-Star break Friday at Yankee Stadium. Detroit has been rumored to be looking for another starter, but not necessarily of the front-line variety.

The problem for the Tigers with any look at Halladay might not be so much financial as much as talent in return. With no Tigers products on Baseball America’s midseason top 50 prospects, Detroit’s top-level prospect talent essentially begins and ends with AL Rookie of the Year candidate Rick Porcello and reliever Ryan Perry, and Porcello is believed to be about as close to untouchable as the rest of Detroit’s young core.

— Jason Beck