Giants $15M Veteran on Trade Block as Buster Posey Pulls Surprise Deadline Move

With only a few hours left until the trade deadline, Buster Posey flipped the script upside-down. Instead of adding to the team, they went into ‘seller mode.’ What seemed like a playoff sprint turned into a deliberate retreat, shocking everyone. And this time, the Giants have opened the gate for their ace.

The 42-year-old pitcher, who just inked a one-year, $15 million deal with San Francisco in January.  The Giants thought the three-time Cy Young Award winner would be the missing piece in their championship puzzle. But instead, he has become the central part of their shocking deadline selloff.

The player who made it to the trade talks is Justin Verlander. Jon Morosi of MLB Network just dropped the announcement through his X. It read, “Justin Verlander is available on the trade market. Verlander is on an expiring contract; out of respect to the future Hall of Famer, the Giants are open to working out a deal if it makes sense for Verlander and the organization. His last 2 starts: 10 IP, 1 ER.” 

By July 30, he had made 18 starts and pitched 89.1 innings, recording a 1–8 record with a 4.53 ERA and 77 strikeouts. Despite allowing two or fewer earned runs in ten games, he has only one win. Moreover, Verlander has a no-trade clause, so like or not, if the Giants want, they will trade him.

And the Giants have changed their plans. They used to be seen as buyers, looking to add another right-handed outfielder or starting pitcher after getting Rafael Devers. Now, however, they are in a sell-or-stand-pat position. They sent experienced reliever Tyler Rogers to the Mets in exchange for MLB-ready help and top prospects. That move has led to rumors that Justin Verlander could be traded.

What caused the change? The Giants are in freefall. They lost 10 of their last 12 games and were swept in a six-game homestand, which was the first time the team has lost that many games in a row since 1896. They went from nine games over .500 on July 11 to hovering at or below .500 presently. Their offense has fizzled at the worst possible time—three games in a row with runners in scoring position and no runs scored is as bad as it gets—and their basics have fallen apart on the field and the bases. Just before the trade deadline, all of those problems reached a breaking point.

And then came Sunday. The timing couldn’t have been worse during San Francisco’s 5–3 loss to the Mets. Posey was on the crew for ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball” that night and talked about how he felt going into July 31.

Posey added, “For me, the focus is, most definitely, trying to put the best major‑league team out there on the field.” “But at the same time, you’ve got to have an eye on the future and understand that some of these players’ names that will come up in trade talks could potentially help the San Francisco Giants win a lot of baseball games in the future. So yeah, it’s a balancing act for sure.”

Posey expressed his goal of building a competitive team while keeping the long-term future in mind. It’s a matter of time if Posey finds a great deal, he won’t hesitate to trade Verlander. And looks like the Blue Jays are already eyeing him.

Verlander would bring immediate AL East impact for Toronto

If the Giants don’t make a deal for Justin Verlander, the Toronto Blue Jays could be the next team he plays for. Maddy Dickens of SI says, “Many teams are looking to build depth to their pitching rotation, and that includes the Toronto Blue Jays, and a future Hall-of-Famer like Verlander could make an immediate impact.”

The Jays are on fire, having won 17 games in July and standing first place in the AL East with a 64-46 record. They fell behind early, but now they’re back in the running for the playoffs and appear like one of the best teams in the American League.

Dickens says, “If the organization is looking to make a push in October, it might not hurt to have a player like Verlander on the roster.” The Jays want an experienced player to join their current rotation and help them go far this season.

Verlander’s two World Series rings might match those of current Blue Jays Max Scherzer, making them a powerful, experienced combo with experience in the playoffs. This kind of move might push Toronto over the line, going from being the best team in the division to a real contender to win the World Series.