It's safe to say that with 60 games left in the New York Mets' season, their wild free agency spending ways did not exactly go according to plan. Thus, with less than a year of pitching in front of the Citi Field faithful under his belt, star pitcher Justin Verlander could soon be on the move despite his commitment to the team, with one team in particular emerging as the favorite to trade for him.

That favorite is the Texas Rangers, according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. The Rangers have emerged as a legitimate contender in the American League this season, as they have gone toe-to-toe with reigning World Series champion Houston Astros. However, they lost their biggest signing of this past offseason, Jacob deGrom, to Tommy John surgery, making it a pressing matter for the team to upgrade their rotation.

Justin Verlander, despite not having the best 2023 season for the Mets, should help in that regard. However, the Rangers' closest rivals, the Astros, are also reportedly interested in a reunion with the 40-year old starter.

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Given how huge of a financial commitment trading for Verlander entails, the Rangers and Astros won't have to empty the farm for him should the Mets decide to make him available in a trade. But that's far from a guarantee, as the Mets brass is still taking a wait-and-see approach with less than a week to go before the MLB trade deadline passes.

In 15 starts thus far this season (89 innings pitched), Verlander has tallied a 3.24 ERA on 76 strikeouts (against 30 walks). Verlander's age concerns and his concerning peripherals also make him sort of a risky trade target. But there are few pitchers who bring as much composure and veteran pedigree as he does, making him a coveted piece nonetheless.