The Los Angeles Dodgers are expected to continue their aggressive trade deadline pursuit. LA has already traded for players such as Lance Lynn and Amed Rosario among others. Now, they are reportedly interested in a number of star pitchers including Justin Verlander of the New York Mets, reports Jack Harris and Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times, via MLB Trade Rumors.

In addition to Verlander, pitchers such as Jack Flaherty and Jordan Montgomery of the St. Louis Cardinals, Mitch Keller of the Pittsburgh Pirates, and Eduardo Rodriguez of the Detroit Tigers are reportedly on LA's radar. The Dodgers wanted to address their pitching depth concerns, something they already did to an extent by landing Lynn and Joe Kelly in their trade with the Chicago White Sox. Nevertheless, it appears the Dodgers are far from done.

The team's interest in Verlander stands out though. The Dodgers were linked to Verlander during the offseason before he signed with the Mets. If the Mets do decide to make him available, it would make sense for the Dodgers to pursue him once again, this time on the trade market.

Dodgers-Justin Verlander connection

The Dodgers don't necessarily need Justin Verlander. However, adding a veteran pitcher like him to a staff that includes young arms such as Bobby Miller and Emmet Sheehan cannot be ruled out.

It should be noted that Verlander is owed a lot of money in 2023 and 2024. If the Dodgers acquire him, they would need to work out the financial aspects with the Mets. Assuming they make the money work though, Verlander could help them make a deep playoff run. He features playoff experience and most recently played a pivotal role in the Houston Astros' 2022 World Series victory.

Other teams are expected to be interested in Verlander. That said, the Dodgers have displayed a willingness to be aggressive in trade talks and feature one of the best farm systems in baseball.