MILWAUKEE -- Brewers general manager Doug Melvin confirmed on Sunday afternoon that the Brewers are interested in free-agent pitcher Braden Looper.

The Brewers are looking for starting pitching after both CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets became free agents. Sabathia has since signed with the Yankees while Sheets remains unsigned.

Melvin told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the Brewers are not close to signing Looper, refuting a Boston Globe report from earlier Sunday that hinted at an imminent deal. Melvin planned to touch base again with Looper's representative before breaking for the Christmas holiday.

Looper, 34, is one of a number of veteran free-agent pitchers to draw some interest from Milwaukee, a list that also includes Randy Johnson, John Smoltz, Randy Wolf and Jamie Moyer, though Moyer has since re-signed with Philadelphia. Looper was a reliever for his first nine big league seasons before moving into the Cardinals' starting rotation in 2007. He was 12-12 with a 4.94 ERA in his first year as a starter and went 12-14 with a 4.16 ERA in 33 starts in 2008.

According to a FoxSports.com report, the Orioles and Rockies are among the other teams considering Looper.

Looper hasn't had much success in Milwaukee. He's 0-4 with a 7.20 ERA in 12 career appearances at Miller Park, including three starts.