Future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer will almost certainly be traded before the July 30 trade deadline all deals have to Kyle Barraclough Jersey be finished by 4 pm ET on Friday and the team that lands the Nationals ace will see a huge boost to their World Series prospects.

Speaking of prospects, it will take a couple of those (at least) to land Scherzer. Sure, hes 37 and will be a free agent after the year and has no-trade rights and his agent, Scott Boras, made noise a few weeks ago about compensation (in the form of an extension) to waive those no-trade rights. But, despite those complications, every World Series hopeful will see whether they have what it takes to land the Cooperstown-bound right-hander.

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So far this season, he has a 2.83 ERA with 142 strikeouts in 105 innings. His WHIP this year 0.886 is a career low, which is really saying something. He started the All-Star Game for the National League and hes only allowing 5.8 hits per nine innings. When the Nationals made their surprising run to the 2019 World Series title, Scherzer had a 2.40 ERAwith 37 strikeouts in 30 innings; the Nats won all five games he started (and the one in which he pitched a spotle s inning of relief).

So where might he be headed? Lets take a look.

Dodgers

Why he fits: The Dodgers rotation at the end of July bears little resemblance to the rotation that started the season. Walker Buehler and Julio Urias are still there with a 2.31 ERA and 3.60 ERA, respectively but Dustin May was lost for the season after just five starts, Clayton Kershaws on the IL with forearm inflammation and Trevor Bauer seems unlikely to ever rejoin the team as he faces sexual a sault allegations. Tony Gonsolin has been a nice replacement (2.38 ERA) in the rotation, and veteran David Price has been solid in his move from a reliever to a starter, though hes building up innings and his pitch counts.

But the Dodgers have only one real goal this year, and Lewis Brinson Jersey thats to repeat as World Series champions. To make that happen, adding Scherzer would be a huge boost. Its not that Price or Gonsolin would make for bad playoff starters, but if L.A. could use those multiple-inning arms in the bullpen instead of the rotation? Remember how much of an impact Urias made out of the bullpen in the clubs October run last year? He closed out the NLDS with five innings of one-run ball in Game 3 against the Padres, then threw three perfect innings to close out the Braves in Game 7 of the NLCS and retired all seven batters he faced to end Game 6 of the World Series to give the Dodgers their first title since 1988.

The Dodgers have the prospects in the farm system to make this happen, too. Their well isnt as deep as some of the teams in the mix MLB.com, for instance, ranked the clubs farm system No. 14 heading into the year but they have enough quality and quantity. Adding Scherzer would likely put the Dodgers over the expensive luxury tax plateau, but that feels like more of a speed bump than a road block.

Oh, and theres this, Jeff Locke Jersey too.

It remains to be seen if Max Scherzer will be traded, but a source said the pitcher strongly prefers the West Coast to waive his no-trade clause. Given the state of the NL West, he could be the difference-maker in that race if he landed with the Dodgers, Giants or Sandy Alcantara Jersey Padres.

Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) Giants

Why he fits: San Francisco already has been a surprising thorn in the Dodgers side all season, so maybe it would make perfect sense for the Giants to swoop in and trade for the ace that Los Angeles craves. And it fits that whole Max prefers the West Coast thing, too.

It's not that the Giants rotation has been a weakne s quite the contrary but not only would adding Scherzer improve San Franciscos October prospects, it would diminish the Dodgers chances by keeping them from adding Scherzer. This, of course, isnt a primary reason for making a trade especially a blockbuster like this but it would be a nice secondary bonus.

Put him up with Kevin Gausman (2.21 ERA) and Anthony DeSclafani (2.87), along with Alex Wood (3.65) and options such as Logan Webb (3.54), Johnny Cueto (4.09) and po sibly even Aaron Sanchez (3.18 ERA in six starts before landing on the IL), and suddenly the Giants havean elite rotation and a couple of multiple-inning relievers that are so valuable in October.

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Padres

Why he fits: Lets stay out west, shall we? San Diego has already made a couple of moves, and,as the saying goes, the Padres are leaving no stones unturned in their search for players who could help the club reach the 2021 World Series. But the Padres arent just lookingfor uncovered gems, they Deven Marrero Jersey re throwing their shoulders into the giant boulders to see whether they can generate any sort of movement. They have the prospects and the motivation, and though adding Scherzer (and maybe a few others) would probably result in luxury tax penalties, they arent opposed to moving money around (trading Eric Hosmer?) if need-be.

Pair Scherzer atop the rotation with Yu Darvish and the rest of the cast of hard-throwing San Diego pitchers and thats a solid way to enter October.

Rays

Why he fits: Well, lets start with this: The luxury tax hit that would cost the Dodgers a few pretty pennies wouldnt impact the Rays at all, because theyre obviously nowhere near any plateaus. And deferred money is almost certainly preferred to now money. And then, theres this: After coming so very close to a World Series title in 2020, all indications are that the Rays are being aggre sive in the days leading up to the deadline. Scherzer would be a bit out of the ordinary, but Brian Anderson Jersey exceptions can be made, and the Rays certainly have the prospects to make it happen.

The biggest question, probably, is whetherScherzer waive his no-trade power to join the Rays.He almost certainly wouldnt get an extension from the club, and no other incentives, either. But the Rays are in very good position they own the first AL wild-card, 4 1/2 ahead of the As and have World Series aspirations.

Mets

Why he fits: Maybe it would feel strange for the Nationals to trade Scherzer within their division, but its actually a smart strategy. Its not like the Mets would be contending directly with the Nationals in 2021, the only year hed likely be in a Mets uniform, and whatever prospects the Nationals get from the Mets would help D.C.s team compete against the Mets for years to come. Its a bigger-picture thing.

But even though the idea of a Mets postseason rotation of Scherzer, Jacob deGrom, Marcus Stroman and Taijuan Walker is appealing, the cost of ac