The Chicago Cubs have opened the season firmly in contention for a National League Central division championship, surging to a 16-win tie with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Perhaps most encouraging, the team has seen its early success with franchise ace Justin Steele making just one start before heading to the injured list and veteran Kyle Hendricks pitching for the worst ERA of his 11-year career. As a result, the Cubs beat reporter for The Athletic, Patrick Mooney, has suggested the team might pull off a trade for veteran pitcher Justin Verlander as the Houston Astros are struggling.
“It still might not be too late to merge the end of Verlander’s Hall of Fame career with the beginning of the next glorious run at Wrigley Field,” Mooney wrote. “The Cubs are playing like a team that will deserve a pitcher such as Verlander at the trade deadline.”
The Chicago Cubs Could Use a Justin Verlander Trade for a Postseason Run
The possibility of a deal that would send Verlander to Chicago emerged as the Cubs pulled off a three-game sweep of the Astros in its latest series. As the Cubs demonstrate the makings of a playoff team — marked by series victories over National League powerhouses in the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers so far — the Astros look like they could be sellers at the deadline.
“If the Astros continue to struggle despite facing an easier schedule, they might have to do something unthinkable when they entered this season and start selling off some of their pieces,” Brad Wakai noted for Inside The Astros.
The Houston Astros Might Opt to Trade Justin Verlander at the Deadline
The Astros have a number of trade chips they could consider moving at the deadline, including third baseman Alex Bregman, reliever Ryan Pressly, starter Framber Valdez and outfielder Kyle Tucker, all of whom could be free agents next season.
But Verlander might be the most appealing option for a sudden contender like the Cubs. After starting the season on the injured list with a shoulder problem, Verlander has pitched for a stellar 1.74 ERA in two starts, logging 11 strikeouts and giving up just seven hits, suggesting he still has plenty left in the tank.
He is in the second season of a two-year, $86.6 million deal he signed with the New York Mets in 2022. After he was traded back to the Astros last season, the Mets agreed to pay a portion of his remaining salary. He also has a $35 million option for next season that will vest if he pitches in 140 innings, with the Mets on the hook to pay half of that.
Plus, he might also be the final pitcher in MLB history to reach 300 career wins, and any front office would love to see that happen while he’s wearing their team’s jersey.
While it’s still too early to tell whether the Astros will seek to flip Verlander for some younger pieces with an eye toward rebuilding, or what needs the Cubs might have in a potential push to the postseason, Verlander appears to be the type of player that could make more of a difference in Chicago in August and September than he would in Houston.
“These two franchises now appear to be heading in opposite directions,” Mooney noted. “The Cubs are ascendent again and the Astros are in freefall.”
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