With the 2023 MLB trade deadline just over a week away, the Giants likely are looking to give their starting rotation a boost.
The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner certainly could help accomplish that.
San Francisco is among 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.
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Verlander, 40, is 4-5 across 14 starts this season with a 3.47 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 83 innings pitched. While he has struggled with consistency in the first season of his two-year, $86.6 million contract with the Mets, he returned to form in his most recent outing Wednesday with an eight-inning, one-run masterpiece against the Chicago White Sox.
The Giants' rotation has been one of the team's glaring issues in 2023, with starters like Alex Wood and Anthony DeSclafani coming up short on the mound in recent outings. While San Francisco also could use middle-infield depth, a run at a pitcher as the trade deadline approaches would need to be for someone who can make an impact right away.
And should Verlander waive his no-trade clause, the Giants reportedly are preparing to do just that. The Mets, with their exorbitant payroll, are 18 games out of first place, and Verlander might want to make himself available to a contender. The Giants, with plenty of money to spend and a decent shot at returning to the MLB playoffs, could be just the team.
