MLB rumors: 7 players to expect to see discussed final trade day

MLB Rumors: Cardinals could finish fire sale with Jack Flaherty trade

The Cardinals traded Jordan Montgomery and Jordan Hicks, signaling a clear willingness to sell off their bullpen for the right price. As a result, Jack Flaherty’s name has been a hot topic in the MLB rumors mill. With seemingly every contender in search of one more arm to bolster their starting rotation, the Cardinals can probably field a strong return for the veteran righty.

Flaherty is 7-6 on the mound with a middling 4.43 ERA and 1.550 WHIP. He’s not performing up to par with his Cy Young finalist season in 2019, but he remains one of the steadiest arms on the Cardinals’ roster. He’s in the final year of his contract with a hazy future at best in St. Louis, making him a prime candidate to get dealt before 6 PM passes.

MLB Rumors: Justin Verlander trade picking up steam for Mets

The Mets are fielding trade calls for another three-time Cy Young winner on the heels of the Max Scherzer trade, with the Orioles, Astros, and Dodgers all heavily linked as potential destinations for right-handed ace Justin Verlander. Even the Braves have been floated as a potential landing spot for the 40-year-old who is set to make over $43 million annually this season and next season.

Verlander posted the best ERA of his career last season with the Astros en route to his second World Series title. He has been less successful in year one with the Mets — in large part due to the incompetence of the team around him — but he’s still slinging impressive heat for a pitcher his age. Verlander has a respectable 3.15 ERA and 1.145 WHIP and he’s averaging 10.5 K’s per nine innings. Any team would be glad to hand him a prominent spot in their rotation, it’s simply a matter of which teams are willing to pay him the exorbitant amount of money he is owed — not to mention a potential $35 million vested option for the 2025 season, when he will be 42 years old.