Mets trade 3-time Cy Young Award winner Verlander back to Astros

The Houston Astros are bringing back Justin Verlander, acquiring the three-time Cy Young Award winner from the New York Mets in a trade deadline blockbuster Tuesday, according to two people with direct knowledge of the agreement.

The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the teams hadn't announced the agreement. One of the people said the Astros were sending top outfield prospects Drew Gilbert and Ryan Clifford to New York.

The underperforming Mets are dismantling the most expensive roster in major league history. They dealt ace Max Scherzer to the Texas Rangers on Sunday and followed up Tuesday by shedding Verlander, who they signed to an $86.7 US million, two-year contract in December.

The 40-year-old Verlander earned his 250th career victory on Sunday, and 61 of those came with Houston. He was first acquired from the Detroit Tigers during the 2017 season, when he helped pitch the Astros to a World Series title.

He won his third Cy Young Award and second World Series with Houston last season, then became a free agent.

Verlander opened the season on the injured list and struggled upon his return. He's recently been back in top form, going 4-1 with a 1.49 ERA in his past seven starts. He's 6-5 with a 3.15 ERA in 16 starts overall this season, striking out 81 in 94 1/3 innings.

New York at one point had a projected payroll of $365 million bolstered by billionaire owner Steve Cohen, but the club entered Tuesday 50-55 and six games out of the final NL wild-card spot. Cohen paid off around $35 million remaining on Scherzer's contract to facilitate that deal with the Rangers, which returned top prospect Luisangel Acuna, the younger brother of Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuna Jr. It was unclear if New York was paying down any of Verlander's salary.

Gilbert, 22, was a first-round pick by Houston in 2022 who ranks 68th on MLB.com's Top 100 prospect list. He's a potential five-tool player who dominated at Class A early this season — hitting .360 with a 1.107 OPS — before slumping after a demotion to Double-A. He's hitting .241 with six homers and a .713 OPS in 60 games.

The 20-year-old Clifford was an 11th-round selection in 2022 whose stock has risen since. He's hitting .291 with 18 home runs and a .919 OPS at two A-ball stops this season.

Orioles improve rotation with Flaherty

Baltimore acquired right-hander Jack Flaherty from the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday in an effort to bolster a starting rotation that's helped the Orioles take the lead in the AL East but now faces fatigue concerns heading into the stretch run.

With a low payroll and a wealth of prospects — particularly position players — the Orioles had a chance to be one of baseball's most aggressive teams at the trade deadline. Ultimately, they held onto their most highly touted minor leaguers and are bringing in the 27-year-old Flaherty, who can become a free agent after this season.

Flaherty was 7-6 with a 4.43 ERA this year for the Cardinals, who are mired in last place in the NL Central. St. Louis also dealt left-hander Jordan Montgomery to Texas on Sunday.

The Orioles gave up infielder Cesar Prieto, left-hander Drew Rom and right-hander Zack Showalter for Flaherty. Prieto is Baltimore's No. 16 prospect according to MLB Pipeline and Rom is No. 18, but Baltimore did not part with any of its eight prospects ranked in baseball's top 100.

The 24-year-old Prieto hit .317 in 27 games for Triple-A Norfolk this season, and the 23-year-old Rom went 7-6 with a 5.34 ERA for Norfolk. The 19-year-old Showalter went 0-2 with a 2.37 ERA for Class A Delmarva.

Dodgers add Yarbrough after whiffing on Rodriguez

The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired pitcher Ryan Yarbrough from the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday after being rebuffed in their pursuit of Detroit Tigers ace Eduardo Rodriguez.

Rodriguez used his no-trade clause to block a trade, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.

"To have a chance to come to a team with guys that he's familiar with, on a team that's playing for a championship, it's surprising," Roberts said.

The Dodgers traded for pitchers Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly last week, but didn't land any of the biggest names available at the deadline.

The Dodgers are waiting on three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw to return from a shoulder injury, as well as lefty Julio Urias to overcome an issue with the index finger on his throwing hand.

Marlins adds Bell, Burger, Weathers

The Miami Marlins acquired infielder Jake Burger from the Chicago White Sox and first baseman Josh Bell from the Cleveland Guardians at Tuesday's trade deadline as the team bolsters its lineup for a playoff push.

Miami sent pitching prospect Jake Eder to Chicago in exchange for Burger and dealt infielder Jean Segura and infield prospect Kahlil Watson to Cleveland for Bell. Segura will be released by the Guardians.

Also Tuesday, the Marlins acquired left-hander Ryan Weathers from the San Diego Padres for infielder Garrett Cooper, right-hander Sean Reynolds and cash.

The Marlins (57-50) entered Tuesday tied with Arizona and Milwaukee for the final NL wild-card spot. The club could use an offensive jolt as it tries to make its first postseason berth in a full season since winning the World Series in 2003. The Marlins reached the postseason during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season and lost to the Braves in the NL Division Series.

D-backs add outfielder Pham

The Arizona Diamondbacks continue their push in the National League West by acquiring outfielder Tommy Pham from the New York Mets on Tuesday, multiple reports said.

The Diamondbacks sent minor league infielder Jeremy Rodriguez to New York in the deal.

Pham, 35, was batting .268 with 10 home runs, 36 RBIs and 11 stolen bases over 79 games in his first season in New York. The Diamondbacks will be his seventh team after previous career stops with St. Louis, Tampa Bay, San Diego, Cincinnati and Boston.

Phillies acquire righty Lorenzen

The defending NL champion Philadelphia Phillies acquired right-hander Michael Lorenzen from the Detroit Tigers for minor league infielder Hao-Yu Lee on Tuesday.

The 31-year-old Lorenzen made the All-Star team this season for Detroit. He's 5-7 with a 3.58 ERA in his best year since converting from a reliever into a starter.

The Phillies have a double-digit deficit behind the Atlanta Braves in the NL East, but they are in a tight race for a wild card in the National League.

Philadelphia gave up its No. 5 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. The franchise signed Lee out of Taiwan in 2021. The 20-year-old second baseman has hit .283 with a .372 on-base percentage and 14 stolen bases in 64 games for High-A Jersey Shore this season.

Lorenzen has thrown 105 2/3 innings this year, just shy of his career high of 113 1/3. He spent much of his career as a reliever for the Reds, but he's been exclusively a starter for the Tigers and Los Angeles Angels the past couple seasons. He joins a Philadelphia rotation that includes Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola and Taijuan Walker.

The rebuilding Tigers get a prospect in return for Lorenzen after signing him to an $8.5 million, one-year deal before the season.

Padres add Hill, Choi

The San Diego Padres, currently on the outside of the postseason picture, bolstered their roster for a playoff run, acquiring first baseman Ji Man Choi and veteran left-hander Rich Hill from the Pittsburgh Pirates, multiple outlets reported Tuesday.

Heading to Pittsburgh are first baseman Alfonso Rivas, and a pair of minor leaguers — left-hander Jackson Wolf and outfielder Estuar Suero, per ESPN.

Despite their big-budget payroll, the Padres have failed to follow their 2022 run, when they advanced to the National League Championship Series. They enter play against the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday at 52-55, good for fourth place in the NL West and 8 1/2 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers.

They are five games out of the final wild-card berth in the NL.

Braves bolster pen with Hand

The Atlanta Braves added another veteran left-hander to their bullpen by acquiring Brad Hand from the Colorado Rockies before Tuesday's trade deadline.

The Rockies acquired right-hander Alec Barger, who was 3-2 with a 3.29 ERA for Double-A Mississippi. Barger, 25, was a 17th-round draft pick out of North Carolina State by Atlanta in 2019.

Hand, 33, bolsters the bullpen, which also had left-hander A.J. Minter reinstated from the 15-day injured list on Monday. Minter had been out since July 12 while recovering from left shoulder inflammation.