This story was updated following the trade that sent Justin Verlander to the Houston Astros.
Having come up short in a late push to acquire Justin Verlander, the Orioles had to make a quick pivot and look in different directions in an effort to fortify their starting rotation.
They were immediately inserted into the discussion with a report the Chicago White Sox had made Dylan Cease available. In addition, Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Mitch Keller was also said to be available, along with Detroit Tigers left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez.
The word throughout the industry late last night was that the Los Angeles Dodgers had balked at the asking price for Verlander, leaving the Orioles and Houston Astros as frontrunners for a deal. With a no-trade clause in effect, he opted to return to Houston, where he won his third Cy Young Award last year.
The asking price was believed to be for higher prospect resources than they got from the Texas Rangers in exchange for Max Scherzer. Luisangel Acuña was ranked No. 44 on MLB Pipeline’s top-100 list and immediately became the Mets’ No. 1 prospect. The Orioles have four players ranked higher than Acuna, including No. 1 Jackson Holliday, who would not have been included.
Since the Astros don’t have a prospect in the top 100, the Mets are taking less player capital instead of picking up a large chunk of the remaining $58 million contract.
The Mets sent $35 million along with Scherzer in order to get Acuña, and were said to want at least two of the eight O’s prospects listed in the top 100. Of those eight, Holliday and Heston Kjerstad are considered untouchable, but the other six figure to be prominent major league players down the road, leaving the organization still well fortified for the future.
It was expected that the Mets would offer a package similar to the one put together for the Scherzer trade in any deal made for Verlander, who has another guaranteed year left at $43.3 million and a vesting option at $35 million. The Mets are actively looking for an outfielder and infielder, two areas of need for now and the future and the Orioles are well stocked at those positions.
At the age of 40, any trade for Verlander can be considered a gamble, but he is the reigning American League Cy Young winner and, after an injury-marred start to his season, has been a more effective pitcher than Scherzer, thus the Mets’ higher asking price.
The Dodgers, like the Orioles, were well enough fortified in their farm system to meet the Mets’ needs and were believed to be front-runners for Verlander, but reportedly balked at the asking price.
Now that the deal with the Astros is done, the Orioles won’t have to face Verlander with the Mets this weekend, but it will be short reprise because the Astros roll into town for three games starting on Aug. 8.
Jim Henneman can be reached at JimH@pressboxonline.com