Report: Tigers not actively shopping Verlander
The Detroit Tigers don't seem to be in a hurry to part ways with their longtime ace.
While a rebuild appears increasingly probable for the Tigers, mired in fourth place in the American League Central at 39-48 as the second half looms, the club isn't actively shopping veteran right-hander Justin Verlander, a source told Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News.
The perception is that general manager Al Avila could be persuaded to move him before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, though an earlier report indicated the Tigers are looking for a major return for the 34-year-old without retaining any of the roughly $70 million left on his contract.
| Year | Salary |
|---|---|
| 2017 | $28M |
| 2018 | $28M |
| 2019 | $28M |
| 2020* | $22M |
*Vesting option guaranteed with a top-five finish in 2019 Cy Young voting.
Verlander, a six-time All-Star and former MVP who has spent his entire career in Detroit, has regressed this season after finishing second in American League Cy Young voting in 2016, putting up a 4.73 ERA (93 ERA+) and 1.52 WHIP over 18 starts. He has full no-trade rights, though, and Tigers manager Brad Ausmus noted earlier this week that it's tough to get a deal done even when the player can't veto it.
"First of all, you've got to find somebody who has a need that matches with someone that you're willing to trade. Then they have the finances if it involves a big contract. They have to have the pieces to send to us. It just isn't that easy," Ausmus told Evan Woodbery of MLive.com. "So you're kind of whittling down the number of teams that you could even have a trade with."
After allowing one run Saturday over 6 2/3 innings at Progressive Field in his final start before the All-Star break, a 4-0 loss to the Cleveland Indians, Verlander expressed muted optimism about his team's ability to get back into contention. The Tigers, who missed the playoffs in each of the past two seasons after winning four straight division titles, sit 6 1/2 games back of the second wild-card spot.
"I do think we can turn it around," Verlander said. "But it's not looking great."