Dave Dombrowski hasn't indicated whether or not the Tigers are close to a trade, but admitted that calls have been exchanged.

"To me, as a general manager, your responsibilities are to keep an eye on everything," he said. "But if I say anything, it's a headline. My job is to do everything I can do to help our ballclub. It (discussions with teams or scouts) doesn't mean anything now. It just means you're doing your job.

"It's a little early for hard-pressed conversations."

Dombrowski acknowledged the Tigers are hearing from clubs intrigued by their surplus starting pitchers. Rick Porcello is understood to be the hot name there.