Can Cubs do better in free-agent market than trade for Verlander now?

The free-agent market doesn’t open for two months. But what if there were a pre-September, contenders-only sale for high-end starting pitching?

Would the Cubs jump at that market? Should they? Could they if they wanted to?

That market exists in the form of 2011 American League Cy Young Award and MVP winner Justin Verlander of the Tigers.

Verlander and the Tigers have turned the final days before postseason eligibility locks in into a last-chance sale on the most intriguing name to clear waivers in August. Because Verlander went unclaimed, the only restrictions on a trade involve his full no-trade rights.

To be clear, the Cubs had a chance to pursue a trade for Verlander in July and passed, despite the Tigers’ eagerness and persistent, overstated rumors tied to the Cubs’ so-called ability to handle much of the big-ticket cost left on his contract.

Verlander is 9-8 with a 3.90 ERA overall, but he is 4-1 with a 2.41 ERA and has averaged 10.3 strikeouts per nine innings in his last eight starts. And the player in the Cubs’ clubhouse who knows him best seems to like the fit.

‘‘He’s got dominating-type stuff, swing-and-miss-type stuff, which for teams that are looking to go to the playoffs is always a premium,’’ said Alex Avila, who caught Verlander with the Tigers before the Cubs traded for him and left-handed reliever Justin Wilson in July.

‘‘Typically, you want to have some guys that can miss the bats. He’s a guy that’s thrown a lot of innings, has a lot of experience — especially in the playoffs — and has done well in the playoffs. He has the mentality that you look for in a shutdown-type pitcher.’’

Verlander is owed less than $5 million for the rest of this season, then $28 million in each of the next two seasons (plus a $22 million option for 2020 that vests if he finishes among the top five in Cy Young voting in 2019). That price tag has put teams such as the Cubs on the sidelines this summer, despite his talent and their need.

Might that change — for the Cubs, the Astros or anyone else — in the next few days? One report this week said interest in Verlander is heating up again toward the new deadline. And a major-league insider with some knowledge of the Verlander talks said it wouldn’t surprise him to see Verlander traded before Friday.

‘‘It’s not that hard to evaluate,’’ said Avila, whose father, Al, is the Tigers’ general manager. ‘‘If you look at him compared to the top guys that are going to be free agents, then that’s a decision of, as far as a front-line starter goes, you can sign a guy to a five-year deal or trade for [Verlander]. He’s on a two-year deal. His option kicks in if he’s [in the] top five in Cy Young [voting]. At that point, you’d want it to kick in.

‘‘A lot of people talk about the money, and I’m sure that has something to do with it. But also you have to make a trade, which is a lot more difficult than just signing a player.’’

Especially for the Cubs, who would find it hard to come up with the prospects to compete with the Astros or just about anyone else if the Tigers start asking for stronger packages to pay some of Verlander’s contract. The Cubs have promoted or traded all their marquee prospects in the last 13 months.

The Cubs also will be hunting for at least one more starter to put into their 2018 rotation mix after right-hander Jake Arrieta and John Lackey depart as free agents.

General manager Jed Hoyer wouldn’t talk about specific players, but he said the front office will look for deals before Friday.

‘‘It really is the last [two] days we can do something, so we’ll have those discussions,’’ he said. ‘‘But you can never count on it.’’

Follow me on Twitter @GDubCub.

Email: gwittenmyer@suntimes.com

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