A Verlander return seems attractive, here are some better options for Astros
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29 June 2023
Mets owner Steve Cohen scheduled a press conference this week to address the disappointing state of the team. Cohen revealed that the team would be open to being sellers at the trade deadline if the team had no chance to make the playoffs.
They recently paid down Eduardo Escobar's contract ($9.5 million) to league minimum to facilitate a trade to the Angels. With that in mind, would the Mets be open to trading either Justin Verlander or Max Scherzer if New York is out of playoff contention?
And if so, which pitcher would Astros fans rather have? Verlander seems like the obvious option considering his history with the club. But Scherzer is very appealing in his own right. He shut down the Astros recently, is younger than Verlander, and has a player option to opt out of his deal next year. Which might appeal to the Astros as Verlander's contract is guaranteed for the 2024 season.
Of course, Scherzer could elect to not opt out, which would leave the Astros on the hook for Scherzer's 2024 salary. Also, Max has a no-trade clause. But recently it was reported that he would consider waiving his no-trade clause for a good situation with a chance to compete for a championship.
Finally, if neither of the Mets pitchers are available, who are some options the Astros could have interest in with the trade deadline approaching?
Be sure to watch the full discussion above as we break it all down!
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Green ties career high as Rockets rally to beat the Grizzlies
Jan 13, 2025, 11:22 pm
Jalen Green tied his career high with 42 points, capped by a layup that gave Houston the lead late, and the Rockets rallied for a 120-118 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night.
The Grizzlies were down by four before Jaylen Wells made a 3-pointer followed by a steal and layup from Brandon Clarke that put them up 115-114 with just under a minute left.
Green’s layup put the Rockets on top 116-115 before a turnover by Ja Morant gave Houston the ball back. Amen Thompson was fouled and made two free throws with 8.1 seconds left to make it 118-115.
Morant missed two free throws after that and Fred VanVleet added two free throws for Houston with 2.1 seconds left to make it 120-115 and secure the victory.
It was Houston’s fourth straight win overall and second in a row over Memphis after beating the Grizzlies 119-115 on Thursday night.
Morant swished a 38-footer to put the Grizzlies up by 12 with about eight minutes to go.
The Rockets went on a 16-2 run after that to take a 107-105 lead with 4 1/2 minutes remaining. Green and VanVleet had 3-pointers during that stretch and Thompson added six points to help Houston erase the deficit.
Morant had 29 points for the Grizzlies, and Desmond Bane scored 25.
Takeaways
Grizzlies: They need to do a better job of finishing after leading by 12 in the fourth quarter.
Rockets: Green delivered the kind of dominant performance the Rockets need from him on occasion as they look to remain among the top teams in the Western Conference.
Key moment
Houston’s 16-2 run that erased the double-digit deficit.
Key stat
Houston had 15 offensive rebounds to just eight by Memphis.
Up next
Houston visits Denver on Wednesday night, and the Grizzlies play the first of consecutive games at San Antonio that night.
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