"3. Justin Verlander, SP, and $20 million from the Tigers to the Cubs for Thomas Hatch, RHP prospect, Jose Paulino, LHP prospect, and Jose Rosario, RHP prospect. These three pitching prospects rank in the top 20 for the Cubs, and while this may seem like less than a haul (it is that), with Verlander up and down this year the Tigers probably can’t expect to get top of the line guys. Hatch was a third rounder and Rosario throws close to 100 mph, and they’d help replenish the Tigers’ system. Verlander could revert to 2016 Cy Young form energized in Chicago, but as one rival pointed out, “There are a lot of innings on that arm.” So it’d be a gamble for the Cubs – though we’d always bet on Verlander. The Cubs’ excellent front office prefers pitchers younger than 30, but has done multi-year deals for guys it knows (Jon Lester and John Lackey). Everyone knows Verlander, and while the $28-million salary seems high at the moment, he has just two guaranteed years left, plus one year with a vesting option, plus a no-trade (more on this in the AL notes). Tigers people understand there is no realistic hope to deal Miguel Cabrera, Justin Upton, Jordan Zimmermann or Victor Martinez, and they have been interested in significantly paring a payroll that’s up there with the big boy Yankees and Dodgers. Verlander is the one guy who could put a major dent in that going forward, and word is the Tigers have identified at least four teams (the Red Sox, Astros and Yankees as well as the Cubs) in addition to the Dodgers who have a chance to have interest. The buzz has been that the Cubs could be their best chance, and Jon Morosi of MLB.com reported that they had called. Regardless, that’s a good place to start." https://www.fanragsports.com/mlb/inside-baseball-9-trades-make-sense-deadline/ $20M and Verlander for those three arms? Sign me up