With a lack of starting pitching on the market, teams are starting to decide whether or not to cash in on this scarcity of arms and receive major hauls back. One of those teams is the Detroit Tigers, who are an aging team with a subpar farm system. Their ace Justin Verlander has been made available, and according to multiple league sources, the Yankees are said to be a team interested in the RHP.

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Justin Verlander is a legitimate ace who has had a very successful career in the Major Leagues only playing for the Detroit Tigers. After a near Cy Young victory in 2016, Verlander has had a down season in 2017 with a 4.73 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, and an American League leading 51 walks, which is only six less than he had all last season. Despite his poor stats, Verlander has the track record that will entice many teams in late-July. Verlander could be an impact arm down the stretch and be trusted in a playoff rotation.





Verlander, 34, will likely still require a large haul from any team as the Tigers aren’t completely sold on being sellers. Teams have also expressed interest in their younger, more controllable pitchers, such as, Michael Fulmer and Daniel Norris. Verlander comes with an expensive contract, but is also controllable as he is signed through at least 2019 with a vesting option for 2020.





Verlander may come cheaper than Sonny Gray and Jose Quintana, especially if the Yankees eat a massive portion of the rest of Verlander’s contract.



