REPORT: Giants among teams evaluating Verlander as a trade option originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
With just over a week until the 2023 MLB trade deadline, the Giants may be looking to bolster their starting rotation.
The reigning A.L. Young Award winner can certainly help make that happen.
San Francisco is among the teams evaluating Justin Verlander as a trade deadline candidate should he waive his no-trade clause with the New York Mets, MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reported Saturday morning, citing sources.
Verlander, 40, is 4-5 in 14 starts this season with a 3.47 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 83 innings pitched. While he has struggled to stay consistent in the first season of his two-year, $86.6 million deal with the Mets, he returned to form in his most recent game on Wednesday, hitting an eight-inning, one-run masterpiece against the Chicago White Sox.
The Giants’ rotation has been one of the team’s salient issues in 2023, with starters like Alex Wood and Anthony Desclafani struggling on the mound in recent games. While San Francisco could use center-field depth as well, the pitching movement needs someone who can make an immediate impact as the trade deadline looms.
If Verlander waives his no-trade clause, the Giants are reportedly preparing to do so. With the Mets overpaid and 18 games away from No. 1, Verlander might want to make himself a contender. The Giants have plenty of money to spend and a decent chance of getting back to the MLB playoffs, so they could be a team.
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