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  • Mystery Team(s) in on Justin Verlander, and Steve Cohen's Buying

    Matt Trueblood

    By Matt Trueblood

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    Cubs Video

    There are mystery teams in the mix for Mets starter and future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander as the trade deadline nears, according to Jon Heyman. He lists the Dodgers and Astros as the non-mystery suitors, so maybe the mystery team is really just the Orioles, who have been mentioned in connection with him elsewhere.

    Still, it's worth a mention that the Mets paid down Max Scherzer's deal enormously in order to juice the prospect return in their recent trade with the Rangers. In fact, Steve Cohen is making a habit of that tactic, continuing to carry the salaries even of players shipped off to other teams. He's bearing the luxury tax burden even as the team is disassembled, to maximize the talent the team can acquire.

    If the Mets are willing to do that with Verlander's humongous 2023 salary, and to eat a chunk of his $43 million and change in 2024, would you give up one of the Cubs system's top prospects to (finally) make Verlander a Cub? It sounds crazy, but since this wouldn't be a pure rental and it would be a difference-maker in the NL Central, I'm not sure at all that it is.

    Photo Credit: © Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

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    Transmogrified Tiger

    If Verlander were still at his post-Tigers level this would be an interesting exercise of whether they'd find it worth it to jump into the LT to be opportunistic on top end talent.  As it is, Verlander is 40, missed time to injury, has lost half a tick in velo, and isn't striking people out at an elite rate anymore.  Still a good pitcher but on the Stroman/Montgomery tier and not worth the roster rearranging and cost it would require.

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    TomtheBombadil

    Wow, Steve Cohen’s so cool. It’s one thing to bravely spend money even as the world says don’t it’s ineffizient think of your children and a whole ‘nother to pay a tax

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    Brock Beauchamp

    The Orioles make a ton of sense for Verlander but I don't know if ownership or their front office is willing to pay the prospect capital... which is too bad because boy did their fans eat horsefeathers for years, they deserve some wins.

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