MLB trade deadline rumours - Verlander could follow Scherzer out the door
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With the MLB trade deadline set for August 1, TSN.ca rounds up all of the rumours and whispers of big names that could be on the move.
New York Mets
A tumultuous season for the New York Mets finally took the turn many were expecting over the weekend, as they shipped closer David Robertson to the Miami Marlins and star pitcher Max Scherzer to the Texas Rangers amidst a disappointing 50-55 start.
Scherzer was not pleased after the Mets announced the trade of Robertson on Friday. "I told you I wasn't going to comment on this until [owner] Steve [Cohen] was going to sell. We traded Robertson, now we need to have a conversation," he said.
Verlander made similar comments, though maybe not as strong-worded following the trade of Scherzer, his teammate with the Detroit Tigers early in their careers. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal indicates that Verlander is more open to being traded if he senses the team is not fully committed to winning this season or next.
“When you see [Scherzer traded], you can’t help but think what it says for next year,” said Verlander on Sunday.
Verlander, who is a three-time Cy Young winner and a former AL MVP with the Tigers, has a 3.15 earned runs average with 81 strikeouts in 94.1 innings this season. Rosenthal indicates that the Los Angeles Dodgers seem to be the most natural fit for a trade for the 40-year-old righty.
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are listening to offers on infielder Ty France and outfielder Teoscar Hernandez, according to MLB Network's Jon Morosi.
France has experience at second and third base, but has only appeared as a first baseman this season for Seattle. The 24-year-old righty-handed hitter has a .253 batting average with seven home runs in 102 games this season, and was an All-Star last year.
Hernandez is the more significant name, and Morosi notes that the Toronto Blue Jays are among teams that may be interested in the slugger. Hernandez of course spent six seasons with the Blue Jays before he was traded to the Mariners last offseason in exchange for reliever Erik Swanson, among other pieces.
In 105 games this year, Hernandez, 30, is hitting .238 with 16 HR and 58 RBI. He was an All-Star and earned AL MVP votes with the Blue Jays in 2021, when he hit .296 with 32 HR and 116 RBI.
Washington Nationals
Speaking on MLB Network Radio, Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said that "about eight" teams have shown interest in third baseman Jeimer Candelario, whose contract is due to expire at the end of this season.
Candelario is 29, and is having a career year at the plate - he's hit .258 with 16 home runs and 53 runs batted in for the last place Nationals.
Candelario led the major leagues in doubles in 2021 with 42 as a member of the Detroit Tigers, but the .243 career hitter has struggled to perform consistently year in and year out.
Rizzo also indicated that the Nationals are pricing outfielder Lane Thomas as an everyday player, rather than a platoon bat, and that teams will need to prepare to pay accordingly. Thomas is under team control until the 2026 season, and is hitting .285 in 104 games this season.
Cleveland Guardians
The Cleveland Guardians have dealt right hander Aaron Civale to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for first base prospect Kyle Manzardo, according to multiple reports.
Civale has a 2.34 ERA in 13 games this season, with 58 strikeouts in 77 innings pitched.
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox, who are 43-64 and out of contention this season, have already shipped out a number of veteran pitchers on expiring contracts - they sent Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez to the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday, and traded Lance Lynn to the Dodgers over the weekend.
Their intentions at the deadline became a little less clear when they traded veteran reliever Kendall Graveman to the Houston Astros - as Graveman was still under team control for another season after 2023.
This has led some executives around the league to speculate on the availability of Dylan Cease, Chicago's young right hander who finished second in AL Cy Young voting last season but has struggled this year.
Cease, 27, was previously thought to be untouchable for the White Sox, but there is chatter he could be had for the right price now.
In 22 games started this year, Cease has a 4.15 ERA with 143 strikeouts in 119.1 innings.
Baltimore Orioles
It is a little more difficult to ascertain intent with buyers on the market as opposed to sellers, but the Orioles made an interesting move that may indicate a trade is in the works.
They optioned 28-year-old righty Tyler Wells to AA for what manager Brandon Hyde called "a little bit of a reset." At 113.2 innings pitched this year, Wells had already set a career high for innings pitched at the major league level in a season.
Beyond that, the Orioles have youngsters in their rotation approaching career highs for innings pitched - rookie Grayson Rodriguez has already done so, while Kyle Bradish and Dean Kremer are approaching their career highs as well.
Rosenthal notes that Michael Lorenzen of the Detroit Tigers is a logical candidate for the Orioles to pursue, as well as reliever Brooks Raley from the Mets.