Verlander going back to Houston highlights flurry of MLB trades ahead of Tuesday’s deadline

In a matter of days, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer went from teammates on the New York Mets to opposite sides of a Lone Star rivalry. That’s how it goes this time of year. Verlander was shipped from New York to Houston ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline, returning to the Astros after he helped them win the World Series last year. The retooling Mets acquired minor league outfielders Drew Gilbert and Ryan Clifford in the deal. The major league-leading Atlanta Braves also got some help, acquiring reliever Brad Hand in a trade with the Colorado Rockies. The Toronto Blue Jays added shortstop Paul DeJong from St. Louis, acting quickly after Bo Bichette was sidelined by right knee soreness. Still on the market, hours ahead of the 6 p.m. ET deadline, were Detroit Tigers left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez, Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson and Seattle Mariners outfielder Teoscar Hernández. The 40-year-old Verlander agreed to an $86.7 million, two-year contract with New York in December. He was expected to team with Scherzer for a strong 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation, but each of the ace right-handers had some injury issues and the high-priced Mets underperformed for much of the year. Scherzer was traded to Texas on Sunday. The Rangers and Astros are battling for the AL West lead, and the addition of a three-time Cy Young Award winner for each team should make that division even more compelling down the stretch. With Shohei Ohtani staying in his only major league home, at least through the deadline, the Los Angeles Angels also are fighting for a playoff spot. ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB