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New York Mets ace Justin Verlander might be the most sought-after player by contenders leading up to the trade deadline.
Per MLB Network’s Jon Morosi, the Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves are in discussions for Verlander. Jon Heyman of the New York Post added the San Diego Padres have also been involved.
Heyman reported there’s “little sign of progress” between the Mets and Orioles on a Verlander trade.
One big hurdle that would have to be cleared is Verlander waiving his no-trade clause to make a deal, but Morosi noted it’s unclear at this point if he would do so to join the Orioles.
Jon Morosi @jonmorosi
Justin Verlander has a no-trade clause; his willingness to accept a deal to the Orioles is unknown.
Verlander grew up 160 miles from Camden Yards; as a kid, he watched then-Orioles ace Mike Mussina.
In 2017, JV accepted a trade to HOU at the last possible second.@MLBNetwork
The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal noted the Houston Astros are among the teams pursuing the three-time American League Cy Young winner. Andy Martino of SNY reported that other teams in pursuit of Verlander believe the Astros will be the “most motivated” to make a deal for the star pitcher.
Rosenthal reported Monday the Astros are believed to be Verlander’s preferred choice because of his longstanding relationship with owner Jim Crane. The right-hander played six seasons in Houston from 2017 to ’22, winning two World Series titles.
In the ongoing battle between the top two teams in the AL East, the Rays struck first on the trade front. They acquired Aaron Civale from the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for first base prospect Kyle Manzardo on Monday.
Civale has a 2.34 ERA in 13 starts this season. He will add depth to Rays rotation that has dealt with a series of injuries, including season-ending elbow injuries to Jeffrey Springs and Drew Rasmussen.
The Orioles desperately need to add a starting pitcher who could potentially take the ball in Game 1 of a playoff series. They have also been attached to Detroit Tigers All-Star Michael Lorenzen as a potential trade candidate.
Baltimore’s rotation is tied for 16th in MLB with a 4.48 ERA. Tyler Wells, who has a 3.80 ERA in 21 appearances, was optioned to Double-A on Sunday after allowing 11 earned runs in nine innings over three starts to begin the second half.
The Padres are trying their best to stay in the playoff race, despite spending most of the season under .500. They are currently five games behind three teams tied for the final wild card spot in the NL.
No team has been more aggressive at pursuing superstar players over the past year than the Padres. General manager A.J. Preller acquired Juan Soto in a deal with the Washington Nationals prior to last year’s trade deadline.
The Braves are already the best team in baseball and would be looking to top off a roster that’s already good enough to win a World Series, but the starting rotation does stand out as a potential area of concern.
The top trio of Spencer Strider, Bryce Elder and Charlie Morton have been terrific, but there’s not another healthy starter on the roster who has made more than one start this season.
The Dodgers are another contender seeking high-impact help for the rotation. Their starters have a 5.96 ERA since the All-Star break, second-worst in MLB (Pittsburgh Pirates: 6.39). Clayton Kershaw could be back soon after throwing a simulated game over the weekend.
Verlander, who signed a two-year, $86.7 million deal with the Mets in the offseason, has a 3.15 ERA with 81 strikeouts in 94.1 innings this season. His contract includes a $35 million vesting option for 2025 that kicks in if he throws at least 140 innings next season.
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