Texas Rangers 'Frontrunner' for Former Astros Ace Justin Verlander
The Texas Rangers have just a few more days before the MLB trade deadline on Tuesday to get some more pitching help.
It’s been widely reported that the Rangers are interested in bolstering their bullpen since trading for Aroldis Chapman nearly a month ago. It’s also been reported that the Rangers may be seeking two pitchers in one trade with the same team.
But starting pitching is also the Rangers’ radar. A recent MLB.com report indicated the team is "worried" about starters Jon Gray and Martín Pérez. Another Rangers starter, Andrew Heaney, has not pitched six full innings since the end of May.
Rangers owner Ray Davis is reportedly "heavily engaged" in improving the club for the stretch run.
That could be important if the Rangers seek to acquire the latest starting pitcher that MLB.com has tied the team to — Justin Verlander.
The under-performing New York Mets are in a pickle. They spent heavily last offseason, including a pricey contract for Verlander, who is being paid $86.7 million through 2024. The contract even comes with a conditional $35 million in 2025. He’s not cheap. He’s also 40. He also won the American League Cy Young award last year with the Houston Astros.
Yet, the Rangers might be interested in acquiring Verlander, per MLB.com, if the Mets decide they want to get out from under his immense contract:
The frontrunner for Verlander, according to one source, would likely be the Rangers, who are said to be seeking rotation help and are taking an aggressive approach to the Trade Deadline. It should be noted that Texas pursued Verlander last winter, but the pitcher expressed no interest in joining the Rangers, who were coming off of their sixth consecutive losing season.
The Rangers have won 60 games — eight short of last year’s 68 — and have a two-game lead in the American League West over Houston heading into their road series with the San Diego Padres, which starts Friday.
Verlander started the season on the injured list, but since June 26 he is 3-1 with a 1.46 ERA in six starts, averaging more than six innings per outing.
If the Rangers don’t mind the cost of acquiring him — both in players and in contractual obligations — it’s worth watching as the deadline approaches. And snagging Verlander would also be a stick in the side of the other club across the state.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
Catch up with Inside the Rangers on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram.
