Red Sox were reportedly among teams that pursued Justin Verlander at trade deadline
BOSTON -- The Red Sox didn't do much at the deadline, and Chaim Bloom defended the team's relative inactivity given Boston's low odds to make the postseason. The chief baseball officer said it usually didn't go well for teams in their position that went all-in at the deadline.
That stance is even more confusing two days after the deadline, after The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported that the Red Sox were among the teams to pursue veteran starter Justin Verlander. Acquiring the three-time Cy Young winner would have cost the Red Sox a few top prospects (the price tag the Astros paid the Mets to reunite with Verlander), which goes against what Bloom has built in Boston since his arrival and would have been one of those "all-in" moves that he said doesn't usually work out for teams.
Verlander had a no-trade clause and Houston was his top choice at the deadline, so it's unclear if he'd even be willing to come to Boston. The veteran righty is signed through next season for $43 million, with a player option for 2025 for $35 million.
Verlander, 40, was 6-5 with a 3.15 ERA over 16 starts for the disappointing Mets this season.
In addition to that Verlander nugget, Rosenthal also reported that the Red Sox had "extensive discussions" about dealing veteran Justin Turner to Miami. The Marlins felt they were close to acquiring the veteran infielder before the deal fell through and they traded for first baseman Josh Bell instead.
