The Houston Astros are reportedly in the running for a reunion with ace Justin Verlander, who helped them to a World Series win in 2022 before landing with the New York Mets in the offseason. However, there are several financial snags from his contract that could hamper a potential trade back to the AL.
Verlander is now the top target remaining on the New York Mets as their massive selloff continues on through the weekend. The team with the highest payroll in the MLB failed to meet the lofty expectations after 100 games, and are in the process of dismantling their expensive roster.
After star pitcher Max Scherzer was dealt to the Texas Rangers on Saturday evening, his twin ace Verlander is the talk of the town to go next. While some execs think the Mets will hold on to him, they are certainly shopping him through the league to try and get a return.
If he is to get dealt back to the Astros, there will be some significant financial hurdles to clear on both sides. Verlander is signed for two years on a massive deal through 2024, and holds an additional $35 million player option for 2025. The Astros allegedly do not want to take on that responsibility according to an anonymous front office source, putting a possible deal in jeopardy, says USA Today's Bob Nightengale.
The rumor was further substantiated with Astros GM Dana Brown's comments on Sunday morning. He told reporters that the team is not currently in the market for a starting pitcher, and are focusing on adding bullpen help. However, this could shift ahead of the deadline on Tuesday, per CBS Sports insider Jim Bowden.
Verlander is slated to start for the Mets at 1:40 PM EST on Sunday, and the result of his performance will likely dictate a lot of the momentum at the deadline. He is going against a struggling Washington Nationals team, and similar to Max Scherzer on Friday night, a dominant outing could lead to a deal.