MLB Rumors: This Team Interested In Mets Star Justin Verlander

The New York Mets could deal Justin Verlander ahead of the Aug. 1 Major League Baseball trade deadline if he is willing to waive his no-trade clause.

Verlander signed a two-year, $86.7 million contract with the Mets in December that included said no-trade clause.

MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reported Saturday, amid the Mets’ three-game series with the Boston Red Sox, that the San Francisco Giants are looking into Verlander.

Sources: The Giants are among the teams evaluating Justin Verlander as a trade deadline candidate, should he become willing to waive his no-trade clause. @MLBNetwork @MLB

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 22, 2023

As rumors have circulated around Verlander with the deadline approaching, he still believes he can carry the Mets to a championship within his tenure.

“I remain committed to trying to win a championship here,” Verlander told The Athletic’s Will Sammon in an interview Tuesday.

The 40-year-old right-hander was supposed to fill in a missing piece for the Mets after Jacob deGrom signed with the Texas Rangers, joining former Red Sox pitcher Nathan Eovaldi. This season hasn’t gone as planned for the Mets, though. New York is posting a sub-.500 record at 46-51 and sits six games out of playoff contention after beating the Red Sox 5-4 in the first of their two matchups Saturday.

Verlander has done well this season but has not performed at the same caliber as last season with the Houston Astros, where he earned the American League Cy Young Award. The right-hander currently carries a 3.47 ERA with 70 strikeouts in 83 innings.

Starting pitching is an area of concern for the Giants as just two of their starters — Logan Webb and Alex Cobb — carry an ERA under 4.72 (with at least 10 starts).

It’ll be interesting to see if Verlander stays with the Mets with the deadline quickly approaching.