The Mets beat the Nationals, and then the selloff began...

As the Mets begin to sell, what is the best course of action with Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer

Justin Mears

Jul 28, 2023

What’s Up with the Mets? ⚾️

The Mets defeated the Nationals 2-1 on Thursday night at Citi Field (Box)
Kodai Senga started for New York and went six strong innings allowing only one run
The Mets scored two runs in the 8th inning on RBI’s from Daniel Vogelbach and Mark Canha
David Peterson scattered three hits in two scoreless innings of relief
Brooks Raley came in in the ninth to earn the save

Roster Moves 🗞️

RHP David Robertson traded to the Marlins for 2B Marco Vargas and C Ronald Hernandez (story)

Today’s Game 🗓

Match-up: Mets (48-54) vs Nationals (43-60)

Starting pitchers: RHP Max Scherzer (8-4, 4.20 ERA) vs. LHP MacKezie Gore (6-7, 4.37 ERA)

Where: Citi Field – Flushing, NY

When: 7:10 PM EDT

Where to Watch: WPIX

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What should the Mets do with their twin ‘aces’?✍️

As the countdown to the trade deadline intensifies, as Rich mentioned yesterday, the Mets are completely kidding themselves if they don’t see themselves as full out sellers. This time next week it would downright surprising if guys like Tommy Pham, Mark Canha, Brooks Raley, and even Omar Narvaez and Adam Ottavino were still on this team.

David Robertson has already been moved.

But two guys who have found themselves on the outskirts of trade rumors are the Mets dual veteran aces, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer.

Trading either pitcher would be a complicated endeavor. They’re both due a fortune over the remaining two months of this season—and next year, meaning the Mets would undoubtedly have to pay down a large portion of their salaries to facilitate a deal. They also have full no trade clauses. And then there’s the fact that if they’re not here….who exactly is pitching in the Mets rotation in 2024?

And all of that hasn’t even taken into account the issue that neither pitcher has come close to performing to the expectations you would have from looking at the back of their baseball cards.

Also, both have made it very clear - in public anyway - they have no interest in lifting their complete no-trade clauses.

So, where’s that leave us?

Well here’s an outside the box idea.

I would not trade either Verlander or Scherzer.

But here’s the thing, Verlander is 40 and Scherzer is 39.

Verlander and Scherzer both have a limited amount of bullets left. And if the Mets are giving up on 2023, why waste the bullets on meaningless games over the next two months?

Both pitchers would likely fight a decision like this, but I think it’s at least worth considering a discussion with the players and their agents and talk about shutting them down at some point down the stretch. A move like that would give younger pitchers like David Peterson and Tylor Megill more opportunities to prove themselves ahead of the offseason and let Verlander and Scherzer rest their arms, bodies, and minds in an effort to get ready for a final hurrah in 2024.

This was understandably not the way this season was supposed to play out. The Mets had lofty expectations when they reported to spring training in February and they had visions of Verlander and Scherzer heroically leading them into October.

Who knows? Maybe with a little bit of creative thinking that can still be the case—in October of 2024.

Around the League 🚩

Shohei Ohtani started game one of the Angels double header with the Tigers and tossed a complete game shutout—and then launched two homers in game two
In the first inning of the Cardinals and Cubs contest Ian Happ clocked St. Louis catcher Willson Contreras with his backswing and knocked him out of the game. Miles Mikolas hit him in the hip two pitches later and was ejected
The Brewers acquired 1B Carlos Santana in a trade with Pittsburgh
San Diego is at least willing to listen to offers for OF Juan Soto (NY Post)
Cleveland got 6.2 strong innings from Tanner Bibee as they beat the White Sox and pulled to within 1.5 games of Minnesota for first place in the AL Central