Detroit Tigers: Justin Verlander could gain opt-out with trade

If the Detroit Tigers trade Justin Verlander, the right-hander could receive an opt-out clause for the final two years of his contract.

The Justin Verlander trade chatter continues to simmer into the month of August. The right-hander cleared waivers, meaning the Detroit Tigers can deal him to other clubs, though Verlander does retain no-trade rights. However, there is another twist to the situation. According to Jon Morosi of MLB.com, Verlander could gain an opt-out clause in his contract if he is moved.

Per Morosi, the league’s new collective bargaining agreement gives Verlander the ability to request an opt-out if he waives his no-trade clause. He could opt out of his deal at the end of this season or 2018. (Verlander is currently under contract through 2019 with a vesting option for 2020.) The players union would approve of this since the addition of an opt-out clause would be viewed as enhancing the contract’s value.

This new development certainly alters the landscape of any Verlander trade discussions. The 13-year veteran was most consistently linked to the Houston Astros prior to the July 31 non-waiver deadline, and Morosi confirms that the two sides have continued to talk about Verlander in August, though it’s unknown how serious those negotiations have been.

The possibility of adding an opt-out would provide Verlander some flexibility in regard to remaining with his new club long-term. There has been much speculation concerning Verlander’s willingness to waive his no-trade clause and for which teams. If he wants, he could jump into free agency this offseason or the next and pick his destination.

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Of course, by opting out Verlander would be relinquishing a significant amount of cash. He’s due to earn $28 million in each of the next two seasons. Though he’s looked much better lately, Verlander’s age and overall disappointing performance this year makes it highly unlikely he would be able to secure a larger payday on the open market.

Without the assurance that Verlander would stay, the Astros would offer a lesser prospect package to Detroit, effectively treating him as a rental. As Morosi notes, the Tigers could also chip in some money for 2018 and ’19 – something they’ve reportedly been hesitant to do – on the condition that they would only pay if Verlander remains in his current deal.

Houston’s need for a starting pitcher is well-documented. They stayed relatively quiet at the deadline, only adding a struggling Francisco Liriano with the intent to use him out of the bullpen. The Astros’ rotation troubles have only grown with Lance McCullers Jr. landing on the DL with a back problem and Dallas Keuchel posting a 10.50 ERA over three starts since returning from his own injury.

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While the Astros’ lead in the AL West is in no real danger, they’ve dropped seven of their last 10, which should be something of a wake-up call for a club that cruised effortlessly through the season’s first four months. Even a declining Verlander would have been a big acquisition before the trade deadline, and he’d still be a big acquisition now. The former Cy Young and MVP winner owns a sparkling 1.91 ERA over his last seven outings, and his track record would boost Houston’s playoff profile.

A Verlander trade still feels like a long shot given all the moving parts involved, but perhaps the opt-out possibility greases the wheels a bit.