What the odds say: Will any of MLB's top pitchers be traded?

The MLB trade deadline is less than a week away, so teams deciding whether they should be buyers or sellers need to figure out their strategy in the coming days.

Since big-spending teams like the New York Mets and San Diego Padres are not matching preseason expectations, there are a handful of notable players who could potentially be dealt to a World Series contender.

Let's take a look at the odds for five starting pitchers rumored to be on the trade block and their team after the Aug. 1 deadline. (All odds via theScore Bet)

Justin Verlander

The Mets didn't expect to be six games below .500 and seven games out of a wild card spot on July 26 when they acquired Verlander in the offseason.

The team that started the year with World Series aspirations now has to decide if they want to be sellers and try to recoup some assets for a championship run next year. However, even if the Mets want to move Verlander - who, according to the odds, has a 28.6% chance of being dealt - finding a buyer may be a tough ask.

Verlander is 40 and still has another season remaining on his two-year, $86.6-million deal. The Mets would certainly need to retain some salary in order to find a suitor. But teams may not be enticed regardless of how much money the Mets are willing to eat due to Verlander's average-at-best season thus far.

The pitcher-needy Los Angeles Dodgers are considered the favorite to land Verlander as they need to add depth to a struggling group of starting pitchers if they want to win their second World Series in four years. Clayton Kershaw is having another stellar campaign, but both Tony Gonsolin and Julio Urias have taken steps back after impressive efforts in 2022.

The chances are slim, though, with only a 16.7% implied probability that the hurler will head to Hollywood.

Max Scherzer

Scherzer is another top-of-the-rotation pitcher the Mets could send to a contender. But oddsmakers believe Scherzer's chances of moving are lower than Verlander's, with the former carrying a 20% implied trade probability.

Despite putting up slightly worse numbers than Verlander this season, Scherzer is two years younger than his teammate and only has a player-option year remaining on his deal. That said, the chances Scherzer gets dealt largely depend on what the Mets decide to do with Verlander.

Meanwhile, it's a bit surprising that the Baltimore Orioles and Cincinnati Reds are +1400 to land a high-profile starting pitcher considering they're small-market teams. But both clubs are exceeding expectations and are in the thick of their respective division races. Adding Scherzer would be a major boost to both rotations.

Blake Snell

Last week, the odds for Snell to be dealt were around -120 but the Padres' interest in dealing their hard-throwing lefty has waned. Still, the implied probability that Snell gets moved sits at 25% with the Texas Rangers favored to acquire the 30-year-old in a tight race.

San Diego, who has the third-highest payroll in the league, would only consider trading Snell because he's a pending unrestricted free agent. Like the Mets, the Padres are in the midst of a disappointing season. As of July 26, they have a 49-53 record and sit six games out of a wild-card spot. They also slot fourth in the NL West and have to decide if they want to be sellers and make a World Series run in 2024.

Marcus Stroman

Even though Stroman expressed his desire to stay with the Cubs, odds suggest he'll don a different uniform following the deadline. He's been given a 28.6% chance of staying in the Windy City.

The reigning World Series champions are the favorites to land Stroman. The Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, Dodgers, and Tampa Bay Rays are all potential landing spots.

Stroman reuniting with the Blue Jays is an interesting scenario. You'd have to imagine the former Blue Jay would be welcomed back with open arms by the Toronto faithful. Adding Stroman to a rotation that already includes Kevin Gausman, Jose Berrios, and Chris Bassitt would give the Jays one of the deepest starting-pitcher groups in the majors - and that's without factoring in a potential second-half rebound from opening-day starter Alek Manoah.