As the Mets continue to face a steep climb toward a playoff spot less than two weeks before the trade deadline, many wonder if Steve Cohen and company will sell before Aug. 1, a possibility none would have predicted after Cohen’s spending spree in the offseason.
One of those trade pieces could be Justin Verlander, though he told The Athletic on Tuesday that he remains committed to winning with the Mets, and doesn’t seem to have any interest in waiving his no-trade no clause.
“I remain committed to trying to win a championship here,” Verlander told The Athletic’s Will Sammon.
“I came here to win a championship. Look, nobody, including myself, is giving up on this season. But you have to have a long lens. Everyone wants the immediate satisfaction of now, now, now. I didn’t sign a one-year deal. So, whether it happens this year or not, I think I’ve been able to at least help some guys and see some things that we can adapt or change a little bit just from my experience in the game and being with Houston, and hopefully all these things add up and it helps.”
Verlander pointed to Cohen’s commitment to fielding a winning team as a reason to believe in New York’s chances of contending, even if it doesn’t wind up being this season.
Verlander signed a two-year deal with a vesting option for 2025, and as of now, it seems like the 40-year-old intends to try and win with the Mets.
“If we continue to put [Cohen] in a position [to sell], we have to accept that,” Verlander told Sammon. “But there’s no reason to think it’s like, abandon ship and sell everything and not try to win going forward. That doesn’t seem like his MO. That’s a question for him. I remain committed to trying to win a championship here.”
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
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