SI: Tigers' Verlander will stay put at deadline

Where will Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander go?

As the MLB trade rumor mill continues to swirl with the July 31 non-waiver deadline fast approaching, SI.com's baseball writers and editors tackled the burning question in a five-person roundtable on Wednesday.

While Verlander's name has been linked to multiple teams in recent weeks, Tom Verducci, Jay Jaffe, Emma Span, Jon Tayler and Ted Keith all agree the Tigers starting pitcher will be staying put largely because of his contract.

"I have much more to say about Verlander and the pros and cons of a trade (to the Dodgers?), but he might be too expensive for another club to risk getting the back end of his career," Verducci writes.

Jaffe echoed Verducci and cited Verlander's subpar season as another reason he won't be leaving Detroit.

"I don’t see Verlander being traded because he’s just not pitching very well (4.50 ERA, 4.1 BB/9) and he’s owed so much money (more than $66 million through 2019)," Jaffe writes. "I don’t see the Tigers as that willing to absorb so much cash to send an iconic player out of town for a less-than stellar return."

Span writes between Verlander's age (34), hefty contract and uneven season, he's "worth more to the Tigers than he is to anyone else," while Tayler added the 13-year veteran is unlikely to be dealt on the market where "better, younger and more affordable options are out there."

Verlander is 5-7 this season with a 1.444 WHIP. He's been handed a loss in three of his past five starts with his last win coming against the Royals on June 27.