MLB rumors: Justin Verlander wild card destinations, Pirates buzz, more

MLB rumors: Mystery teams are inquiring about Justin Verlander

It appears the race to land Verlander in a trade with the New York Mets is heating up, with Jon Heyman reporting that, “Mystery team(s) emerging for Justin Verlander.” Heyman goes on to write in a later tweet, “One potential issue here is the Astros and Dodgers are thought to be the preferred teams for Verlander, who has a full no-trade. But keep in mind; Last time JV was on market he was said to prefer Dodgers or Cubs but at the last second accepted the Astros, wisely it turned out.”

Both Houston and Los Angeles make sense as trade destinations, but there have also been rumors out there connecting Verlander to the Baltimore Orioles and even the San Diego Padres.

The Orioles, in particular, are a team gaining steam on deadline morning.

Could New York have its fair share of suitors for the 40-year-old right-hander, making it a bidding war that could help the Mets down the road with plenty of prospects? With mystery teams in the mix, anything is possible.