Report: 'Growing belief in the industry' Mets won't trade Justin Verlander

Despite New York Mets GM Billy Eppler telling reporters that the club isn't rebuilding or having "a fire sale," he's still fielding offers for right-hander Justin Verlander.

However, that doesn't mean New York plans to sell the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner at a discount, if at all. 

Shortly after Verlander notched his 250th career win in Sunday's 5-2 victory over the Washington Nationals, SNY's Andy Martino reported that there's "a growing belief in the industry" that the 40-year-old will be a Met after Tuesday's trade deadline. While the Mets aren't shying away from Verlander discussions, Martino writes that rival clubs have found that the asking price is considerably higher than what RHP Max Scherzer went for. 

Scherzer, who has a 4.01 ERA this season, saw his Mets tenure abruptly end on Saturday after waiving his no-trade clause to join the Texas Rangers, a deal which was finalized Sunday. New York sent its 2021 free-agent acquisition and $35 million of his remaining salary to Texas for minor leaguer Luisangel Acuña, brother of Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr. 

Although Scherzer's struggles led to New York moving him, Verlander has pitched well during the first season of the two-year, $86.6 million deal he signed last offseason, which includes a vesting option for 2025. In 16 starts, he has amassed a 3.15 ERA, but has performed particularly well as of late.  

Across six starts since July 1, Verlander has posted a 1.69 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP while recording 32 strikeouts. 

Because of Verlander's production, Martino notes the Mets haven’t shown a willingness to cover his salary the same way they did in the Scherzer deal to land Acuña. Considering Acuña was Texas' No. 3 prospect and is expected to make his MLB debut next season, the Mets are likely seeking high-ranking soon-to-be or current major league-ready prospects for Verlander without even taking his contract into account.

Another potential wrinkle in a Verlander trade is that he enjoys playing in New York and has been vocal about wanting to win his third World Series championship with the Mets. Yet, if the Mets intend to focus more on player development than competitiveness in 2024, Verlander told reporters Sunday that he'd be more inclined to waive his no-trade clause.

"I think it largely depends on how the organization views next year ... I'm committed to trying to win a championship here," Verlander said. "But if the organization decides that that's not exactly the direction that they think is best fit to go for next year and go for it again, then, yeah, I'd be more open to it."

The Mets' decision on Verlander will send a much-needed message to their fans and current core of players about what to expect regarding the franchise's approach heading into next season. Though some may prefer the Mets compete for the 2024 World Series, after seeing the return that a fading Scherzer netted, trading Verlander could benefit the organization in the long term.