MLB Rumors: Aggressive Astros, Orioles buzz, Yankees selling

MLB Rumors: Houston Astros could land reunion with Justin Verlander if they get aggressive

Justin Verlander has been on a roller coaster ride through the last few weeks before the 2023 MLB trade deadline. One day, he’s certainly a goner as the Mets struggle. The next day, he’s a lock to stay in New York. Then the Mets begin to blow it up by trading Max Scherzer to the Rangers and making it known that Verlander is available. Of course, multiple teams have leaped all over this possibility because it’s ridiculously unheard of to be able to add a Cy Young-caliber pitcher in the middle of the year.

Verlander has a full no-trade clause, so any deal would have to go through him as well as both teams in the trade. Andy Martino has reported that there’s no deal close to happening, but his former team, the Houston Astros, could be a perfect fit if they attack it aggressively.

The odds of a Justin Verlander trade are definitely more likely now than it was a few days or weeks ago, but there’s nothing close to final. The Astros remain the most likely option, as of the night before the trade deadline. Other potential suitors include the Reds and the Dodgers, both of which have deep enough farm systems to make this trade a reality. It’ll be an exciting last few hours before the deadline and it wouldn’t be the first time that Verlander was traded in a buzzer-beater deadline deal.