Less than a month into the 2021 MLB season, there’s already speculation that one of baseball’s top pitchers could soon find himself in the middle of trade rumors. Max Scherzer is viewed as a potential trade candidate before the July 31 deadline, according to reports.

Scherzer is expected to be a popular name as contenders look to upgrade their roster, one National League executive told MLB.com. While Scherzer could veto any trade, a source close to the pitcher told MLB.com that the pitcher would likely be open to a deal if it gave him a chance to win another title.

Even this early in the year, Scherzer checks several boxes that make him a player to monitor. The 36-year-old plays for a struggling team that might come to the realization that it isn’t a championship contender. Scherzer is also in the final year of his contract, making him more expendable.

One of the great pitchers of his generation, Scherzer remains one of the league’s top starters. In 25 innings, the right-hander has 33 strikeouts, a 1.80 ERA and a 0.72 WHIP. Scherzer won three Cy Young awards and never finished worse than fifth in the voting from 2013-2019.

The New York Yankees stand out as a logical team that could pursue Scherzer. Even more so than Washington, New York is off to a disappointing start. Gerrit Cole has been the Yankees’ lone reliable starter.

The St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Angels have two of MLB’s worst rotations and expectations of making a deep playoff run.

The Washington Nationals have played poorly in the early going, sitting in last place in the NL East. Despite a sub-.500 record, Washington is only 1.5 games behind the first-place New York Mets.

When the Nationals struggled in the first half of the 2019 season, there were rumors that Washington would be sellers at the trade deadline. The team held onto its stars, turned things around and went on to win the World Series.

During Washington’s 2019 championship run, Scherzer had five wins and a 2.40 ERA in 30 innings.

Max Scherzer Washington Nationals
Max Scherzer #31 of the Washington Nationals pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the third inning at Nationals Park on June 14, 2019 in Washington, DC. Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
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