The Mets have already traded one veteran starting pitcher. It might not be long until another one is on the way out of Queens as well.
Justin Verlander might be the biggest name left available at the 2023 MLB trade deadline after New York offloaded Max Scherzer to the Rangers, separating the now two-time teammates for the second time.
Like Scherzer, Verlander isn’t cheap. During the offseason, he signed a two-year, $86.67 million deal to join the Mets. And though the reigning AL Cy Young winner has not pitched to the 2022 levels, he has turned things around of late, posting a 1.49 ERA over his past seven starts. Overall this year, he has a 3.15 ERA across 94.1 IP with 81 strikeouts and 31 walks.
If the Mets offer to pay up a portion of Verlander’s salary, there should be no shortage of potential suitors for the ace. Even in his age-40 season, Verlander is one of the best starting pitchers in baseball and is an experienced playoff arm who could help a number of contenders.
MORE: Tracking all trades, rumors ahead of trade deadline
Though the Braves would certainly make sense on paper, don’t expect owner Steve Cohen to allow the Mets’ rival to acquire one of the sport's biggest names in a deadline trade. And, of course, a trade also has to make sense for Verlander, who has veto power on any proposed deal.
Here’s a look at some teams that would make the most sense for the Mets and Verlander.
Justin Verlander landing spots
Dodgers
Los Angeles is seemingly always in the market for starting pitching, and landing an ace like Verlander could be exactly the big splash this team needs. The Dodgers have dealt with a number of injuries to the pitching rotation, forcing them to lean on a younger staff.
Though the Dodgers have the depth needed to weather the storm of the regular season, Los Angeles could always use more pitching, and especially could benefit by adding another veteran ace to help lead the staff alongside Clayton Kershaw. Verlander would immediately give the Dodgers an enviable one-two punch in the rotation that has boatloads of playoff experience — no active pitcher has more postseason innings than Kershaw or Verlander, who have 194 and 207.2 postseason innings, respectively.
There are plenty of reasons why such a deal would make sense for Verlander and the Mets. For the hurler, it’s a chance to rejoin the playoff race as he continues to near the end of his career. For the Mets, few teams have a farm system as deep as the Dodgers, which could give them a plethora of prospect options from which to choose.
The Dodgers always show they’re willing to spend big, and have landed big names at the trade deadline in the past. Verlander would be just the latest major acquisition by the Dodgers for the final stretch of the year.
MORE: Grading the Scherzer-to-Rangers trade
Reds
The upstart Reds have made themselves one of the biggest surprises in baseball. Cincinnati came into the year with low expectations, yet a young roster of stars has helped to propel the Reds to the thick of both the NL Central and NL wild card race.
But while this team has some veteran leadership among the hitters with future Hall of Famer Joey Votto, the pitching staff does not have that same veteran presence on its side of the ball. On top of a lack of experience, the rotation has also been bitten by injuries with a few underperformance that should lead the Reds to explore pitching options.
The Reds are expecting back Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo in August, but adding Verlander would be giving the team a veteran presence in the rotation to help steer the younger staff and give the team a proven arm who can be relied upon every fifth day. A rotation of Verlander, Greene, Lodolo, Andrew Abbott and either Graham Ashcraft or Brandon Williamson would be a steady group for a team heading into the playoffs.
If Verlander loves Cincinnati chili, then the Queen City is the spot for him. If he doesn’t, he can still enjoy getting to pitch for a young, contending team that has been among the biggest stories in the sport this year and has dubbed itself "America’s Team." And though Cincinnati’s farm system has been largely depleted due to promotions, it still has several top prospects who could be enticing for New York in a deal. And if New York’s willing to help pay off his salary a bit, the Reds should be more interested in trying to acquire a proven ace.
MORE: Why did the Mets trade Scherzer?
Orioles
The second of three surprising contenders to make this list, the Orioles have asserted themselves in the front of a vaunted AL East thanks in large part to their standout young bats and a deep bullpen. But the rotation has left quite a bit to be desired, and they could use a true ace to put in the front of the staff.
Verlander would not only be the team’s immediate playoff Game 1 starter, but he’d give the team a much needed ace the rest of the season. The Orioles are clinging to a lead over the Rays in the AL East, but Tampa Bay has shown how dangerous it can be when it gets hot, and the Orioles could use an arm of his caliber to help hold off the Rays. If Baltimore has been able to win with starters that have combined for an 4.51 ERA this season, imagine what it would do with Verlander.
The question for the Orioles would ultimately come down to how much they’d be willing to trade to acquire Verlander. Baltimore has a deep farm system with a plethora of bats at the top of the system that are MLB-ready, which certainly would appeal to the Mets, but the Orioles would have to decide if dealing those talents for an 40-year-old starter with potentially two more years under contract would be worth it rather than pursuing a younger arm.
There are plenty of reasons why it would make sense for the Mets and Verlander. The Mets would again have the option to pick from a deep farm system, while Verlander could play for a contender without having to move across the country halfway through the first year of his contract.
Diamondbacks
Arizona has the likely frontrunner for the NL Cy Young. But beyond Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly, the rotation has been more unstable, with Brandon Pfaadt struggling in his first season of MLB action, Ryne Nelson having some inconsistent outings and both Tommy Henry and Zach Davies currently on the injured list.
Like the Reds and Orioles, Arizona is a young team that could benefit from having more experience in the rotation, particularly with its playoff chances looking strong. The Diamondbacks’ rotation has zero arms with postseason experience, which Verlander would immediately change.
The Diamondbacks’ farm system has more top-end talent than depth, but there would still be plenty of options for the teams to swing a deal if the Mets were to help pay off Verlander’s remaining salary. Arizona has more young outfielders than spots available, and could look to part with a young, big-league-ready outfielder as the centerpiece of a deal rather than a star prospect.
It would be another move out west for Verlander, who already spent several years playing for the Astros. But it would also be a shot at contention on a team with dynamic, young talent that is ready to compete throughout the remainder of Verlander’s contract.
MORE: What to know about Luisangel Acuna
Astros
Could the Astros explore a reunion with their two-time Cy Young winner? On paper, the match certainly makes sense. The Astros’ rotation has been decimated by injuries this year, with Framber Valdez and rookies JP France and Hunter Brown playing the largest roles in the rotation.
Verlander would help the Astros on several fronts. He gives the team another ace to pair with Valdez and make for a formidable one-two punch in the rotation. But with Verlander being added to the rotation, he also pushes everyone back, giving the unit more depth for the rest of the season.
Many teams are showing interest in Justin Verlander. The Astros are one of those teams but with no prospects in the top 100 they have that hurdle. Verlander has suggested he will consider accepting teams committed to winning in near-term.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 31, 2023
While Houston would seem open to a Verlander reunion, the question would be how much it makes sense for Verlander and the Mets. Verlander left the team and might not want to head back months after trying something new, while the Mets might look at a farm system that is lacking in standout prospects relative to other teams that might be in the mix.
There’d be plenty of familiarity between the Astros and Verlander, which could make a transition back to the rotation seamless. And bringing him back could certainly help re-establish the Astros as strong World Series contenders.
