Justin Verlander has hinted that the New York Mets ' latest moves could see him leave the team in the near future.
Major League Baseball's trade deadline will close on Monday, with the superstar pitcher continuing to be linked with a move away from the team he joined just this off-season.
The Mets made a surprising move to trade one of the league's premier pitchers, Max Scherzer, to the Texas Rangers - with the team struggling this season.
After acquiring Verlander, the Mets were seen as one of the strongest rosters in the league, but are now five wins below .500 - now having an incredibly tough road to making the playoffs.
And after Scherzer was traded to the Rangers this past weekend, Verlander admitted that it could change his status on the roster moving forward.
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Speaking to reporters after a win over the Washington Nationals, he said: "“Max [Scherzer] was obviously supposed to be an integral part of this team next season, one of our starting pitchers, so when you see that happen, you can’t help but think what’s in store for next year. It changed my opinion a little bit. It was tough to see it happen.”
The nine-time All-Star only joined the Mets this past off-season, after leaving the Houston Astros following his second World Series championship. He signed a two-year, £67.3million ($86.7m) contract during the offseason, looking to win another championship with the Mets - who are looking for their first since 1986.
But the team now looks to be in the selling market - moving on from their star players in order to acquire younger talent while relieving themselves of huge contracts. After moving on from star pitcher Scherzer, just a day after trading David Robertson to their bitter rival Miami Marlins.
Verlander admitted the Mets moving on from star players could change his status on the team moving forwardVerlander himself has been linked with a trade in recent weeks, despite the 40-year-old still playing at an extremely high level - with a championship contending team likely to be interested in acquiring him.
Verlander has been sensationally linked back to his former Houston Astros, with the team losing starting pitchers Luis Garcia and Lance McCullers Jr earlier this month - with fellow pitcher Cristian Javier having a difficult season.
The Baltimore Orioles, Cincinnati Reds and Los Angeles Dodgers are also seen as potential landing spots for the pitcher. But while Verlander could be in line for a deadline day move, it appears the sport's biggest superstar, Shohei Ohtani, will not be.
Speaking last week, he said: "From the beginning, my plan was to finish strong this season with the Angels. All the people talking around about the trades, that's gonna be all gone. I could just focus on taking this team to the playoffs." Ohtani is set to become a free agent this upcoming off-season.
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