Skip to content

Report: Verlander wanted trade to Cubs before Astros deal

Patrick Gorski / Reuters

The Justin Verlander era in Detroit is over after the 34-year-old right-hander was traded to the Houston Astros during a late-night blockbuster Thursday.

Verlander had a no-trade clause, and with time ticking down to the deadline to acquire players and still have them be eligible for the postseason, he waited until the very last minute to approve a deal to Houston. It wasn't his first choice for a landing spot, however - that would have been the Cubs in Chicago, reports MLB.com's Jon Morosi.

As the midnight deadline approached, Verlander was at his home in Detroit with Tigers officials who were keeping him up to date on trade negotiations, according to Morosi. When the Astros and Tigers first agreed on the players involved in a deal, Detroit asked for Verlander's permission, but he reportedly declined because talks with the Cubs were still in progress. He and fiancee Kate Upton love Chicago, and he apparently didn't want to commit elsewhere while the Cubs remained a possible destination.

After the Cubs failed to offer enough prospect value in a deal for the one-time Cy Young and MVP winner, Verlander approved a trade to the Astros.

The veteran hurler leaves the only major-league franchise he's played for among the Tigers' all-time pitching leaders in many categories, including wins (183), games started (380), innings pitched (2,511), strikeouts (2,373), and WAR for pitchers (54.4).

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox