What It Means:

Feinsand says the Tigers don't necessarily want to trade Verlander, but they aren't completely opposed to it either. There would be some hurdles to clear in the event of a possible deal, as Verlander has a no-trade clause in his contract and nearly $70 million remaining between now and 2019. The 34-year-old right-hander owns a 4.73 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, and 21.0 strikeout percentage (K%) in 104 2/3 innings this season. He's 5-6 in 18 starts.

It's been a bit of a down year for Verlander, as his 5.03 xFIP and 10.9 walk percentage (BB%) are both career-highs. numberFire's models project him to go 5-5 over the rest of the season while twirling a 4.31 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 20.6 K% and 8.8 BB% across 83 2/3 innings.