The defending World Series champion Chicago Cubs may be interested in a couple of Detroit Tigers players ahead of the MLB trade deadline.
According to Jon Morosi, the Cubs have asked about the availability of Justin Verlander and Alex Avila, but neither side has started negotiating a possible trade.
#Cubs inquired to #Tigers on availability of Justin Verlander and Alex Avila, sources say, but sides have not engaged in trade negotiations.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 4, 2017
Verlander is 5-5 this season with a 4.96 ERA and 1.52 WHIP in 17 games. Avila has appeared in 58 game for the Tigers this year, and is batting .310 with 11 home runs and 29 RBIs.
Morosi also reported that the Cubs had a scout in attendance during Sunday's game where Verlander did not play well.
#Cubs had a scout in attendance Sunday in Detroit, when Verlander gave up 7 earned runs in 3-1/3 innings. @MLBNetwork @MLB #Tigers
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 4, 2017
Chicago has the third best pitching in the National League, with an average 4.04 ERA. They are second in the NL Central with a 41-41 record, 2.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers.
The trade deadline is at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, July 31.
