Max & Trea on way to L.A.: reports

The blockbuster deal baseball fans have been waiting for may finally happen.

Reports have indicated that the Los Angeles Dodgers could make, unquestionably, the biggest move of the trade deadline, wrangling Max Scherzer and Trea Turner from the Washington Nationals.

According to reports, Scherzer would waive his no-trade clause to join the Dodgers. The Nationals’ excitable ace has attained 10-5 rights — 10 years in the majors and five with the same team — giving him the right to veto any trade he’s involved in.

The expected return is said to be a large prospect haul, but no current members of the Dodgers’ big-league core. Catcher Keibert Ruiz and right-handed pitcher Josiah Gray are the headliners — and both members of MLB. com’s Top 100 prospect list — with Ken Rosenthal reporting that two other mid-tier prospects would be included in the deal as well.

Scherzer pitched on Thursday for the Nationals, making what could have been his final start in the curly W hat.

Turner has not played since July 27 after contracting the coronavirus and landing on the COVID-19 injured list. He was hitting .322 with 18 home runs and 21 stolen bases at the time of his positive test.

Both Scherzer (37) and Turner (28) were instrumental parts of the Nationals’ 2019 championship team. Scherzer started Games 1 and 7 of the series against the Astros, both games that the Nationals won. Turner held down the starting shortstop role for the Nationals all season, and though he struggled at the plate in the postseason, he still stole four bases during the 17 playoff games and cracked a big home run in the Wild Card game.

This trade, should it go through as expected, pushes the defending champions to the top of the World Series favorites list. Adding Scherzer to a rotation that, when fully healthy, will boast Walker Buehler, Clayton Kershaw, Julio Urias and the newly acquired Danny Duffy, is a massive move in the National League arms race. Corey Seager’s imminent return from injury probably pushes Turner to second base, but also will give the Dodgers a whopping nine position players on the 40-man roster who have made an All-Star team.