Plan A is a pursuit of New York Mets ace Justin Verlander — a potential blockbuster deal that remains on the table ahead of Tuesday’s 3 p.m. Pacific deadline, but will require the teams to bridge gaps on both the prospect return the Dodgers would send to New York, as well as how much of Verlander’s contract the Mets are willing to pay down.
Plan B could be a pivot to Detroit Tigers left-hander Eduardo Rodríguez — a 30-year-old veteran who is having a career-best year and could become a free agent this winter.
Plan C might be, well, nothing — with the Dodgers’ continued wariness of inflated deadline prices making any further big-name moves far from a guarantee.
To be certain, the club wants to add an impact starter to their underwhelming rotation. The chances of them completing another acquisition are seen as possible, if not likely.
But to get Verlander, Rodríguez or any other notable alternative available on the trade market, there are still hurdles that have to be cleared.
With the clock ticking toward the deadline, there are still significant decisions for the front office to make.
Verlander would be the biggest coup for the Dodgers rotation.
The unit entered Monday ranked 25th in the majors in starting pitching ERA, worse than all but one other team currently in a playoff position. The rotation suffered a 6.18 ERA during July, the highest in club history since relocating to Los Angeles. And the team is currently lacking a surefire ace, with Clayton Kershaw battling a shoulder injury and Julio Urías mired in the worst season of his career.
Verlander, a three-time Cy Young Award winner and two-time World Series champion, would be an immediate game-changer.
(Charlie Riedel / Associated Press)
He has a 3.15 ERA on the season overall, and a 1.95 mark over his last nine outings. He was a free-agent target for the Dodgers last winter, before ultimately signing with the Mets. He would be an upgrade to the top of the Dodgers rotation, too, representing one of the few legitimate front-line starters who might be moved before Tuesday’s deadline.
Completing a trade with the Mets, however, is proving to be complicated.
For starters, Verlander has a no-trade clause in his contract, though his stated desire to contend for a championship should clear the path for a move to Los Angeles.
He is also due a lot of money in the next couple of years. There is roughly $15 million remaining of his $43.33-million salary this season. He is under contract for another $43.33 million next year. And if he pitches 140 innings in 2024, he’ll have a vesting option of $35 million kick in for the 2025 campaign.
While the Dodgers made Verlander a two-year, $80-million offer this winter — only slightly below the Mets’ winning bid of two years and $86.67 million — the extra salary included in the 2025 option is believed to be one sticking point in negotiations between the teams.
With more than $90 million potentially due over the next three years to Verlander — who turned 40 this February and would be 42 by the end of the contract — the Dodgers would like the Mets to help cover some of the costs, similar to how they paid down a significant portion of Max Scherzer’s contract in a trade with the Texas Rangers over the weekend.
However, the more money the Mets include in the deal, the more of a prospect package they’ll want in return, with young Dodgers pitchers, including Emmet Sheehan, believed to be coveted by New York, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.
A pathway to an agreement is possible, particularly with other Verlander suitors such as the Rangers and Houston Astros (who Verlander played for during their infamous 2017 season) reportedly turning their attention elsewhere in recent days. Lining up the right prospect return and cash exchange, though, has thus far dragged out negotiations.
If Verlander falls through, Rodríguez could provide another opportunity for the Dodgers to explore. As of Monday afternoon, the team had maintained interest in him, according to multiple people with knowledge of the situation.
Rodríguez has been one of the bright spots on a struggling Detroit team, posting a 2.95 ERA in 15 starts that ranks ninth-best among MLB pitchers with at least 80 innings.
Rodríguez does have his own complicated contract situation. While there are three years and $49 million remaining on his deal after this season, he will have the ability to opt out of his contract this winter and become a free agent.
Given that the Dodgers have already balked at high prices for other rental pitchers — notably, Lucas Giolito of the Chicago White Sox, who wound up being traded to the Angels — the threat of losing Rodríguez after only a few months could pose a challenge in striking a fair return for a trade.
Nonetheless, Rodríguez’s resume, which also includes a World Series title in 2018 with Boston, could still be appealing enough to warrant a deal, especially amid the ever-growing concerns surrounding the Dodgers rotation.
If the team can’t get Verlander or Rodríguez, it’s unclear how they might try to maneuver.
Other rental starters like Jack Flaherty of the St. Louis Cardinals and Michael Lorenzen of the Tigers are available, as are a number of relief arms that could boost the bullpen. But any minor moves might be overly redundant, following the team’s depth additions of Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly last week.
It leaves the Dodgers facing a potential all-or-nothing scenario in the final hours before the deadline. They would love to add another impact pitcher. They know which targets they covet most.
Now, they’re facing their last opportunity to try and hammer something out, with Verlander and Rodríguez emerging as the biggest names to watch before Tuesday’s deadline strikes.