Mariners need rotation help: 3 names to watch in August

Option #1: Justin Verlander

Now, hold your horses, this isn’t a rumor, this isn’t anything even. It’s just a statement that he has cleared waivers, due to a massive contract, and if the Mariners really are scouring the market as they should be, then Verlander is bound to get a look.

Now, hold your horses part two, the name Justin Verlander is bound to make any and all baseball fans salivate and trigger memories of a 24-5 season where he posted a 2.40 ERA, led the league in almost every category, and won both the Cy Young award and the MVP.

Here’s the thing. That is not the Verlander the Mariners would be trading for. In 2017, Verlander is 7-7 with an ERA of 4.20. In his last six starts however, he has an ERA of 2.31, and if that Verlander decides to stick around down the stretch, he’d be a huge addition to any team.

The large downside that comes with acquiring Verlander, he is signed through the 2019 season, and set to make close to 30 million in the 2018-19 seasons. While the Mariners do have that money available, committing to Verlander while also being on the hook for Felix and Robbie seems a little crazy. Now maybe the Mariners say “why the heck not,” and pull off a deal with the Tigers, but I’m just not exactly seeing Dipoto doing that.

Likelihood of deal: LOW