Multiple teams interested in trading for Justin Verlander

It has been a busy trade season for the Mets, and according to Ken Rosenthal, there are multiple teams interested in trading for Justin Verlander: the Astros, Dodgers, and Orioles. And Jon Heyman adds that there are mystery teams—check that box on your 2023 Mets trade deadline bingo card—in the mix.

Rosenthal notes that Verlander’s no-trade clause and the Mets’ desire to bring back top prospects in exchange for him could make things a little complicated. But the 40-year-old could still be worth sorting out those details to a contending team. After all, he won the American League Cy Young just last year, and after getting of to a bit of a rocky start after returning from injury this year, he has a a respectable 3.15 ERA with a 3.81 FIP. If he were to continue pitching like he has for the past month—a 1.69 ERA over his last six starts—he would easily finish the year with a sub-3.00 ERA.

As we’ve mentioned here several times recently, Verlander has $43 million guaranteed to him next season, and he has a conditional player option for $35 million in 2025. That boils down to him throwing 140 innings and having an arm healthy enough to pitch with to start the 2025 season—and wanting to trigger the option, of course.