Free-agent right-hander Justin Verlander is receiving interest from several clubs, including the Baltimore Orioles, according to people briefed on his market. The 42-year-old Virginia native has a prior relationship with Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias from their time together with the Houston Astros in 2017 and 2018.

A deal between Verlander and Baltimore is not close at this time. The Orioles are still pursuing another starting pitcher at or near the top of the rotation through free agency or trade, with Verlander appearing as a potential fallback option.

Baltimore likely faces competition for left-hander Framber Valdez, the best remaining free-agent starter on the market. The 32-year-old former Astro is considered the top fit for the Orioles, with the New York Mets and other clubs also showing interest.

Adding Valdez would complete a rotation that currently includes Trevor Rogers, Kyle Bradish, Dean Kremer and recent acquisitions Shane Baz and Zach Eflin. However, Baltimore may be hesitant to surrender additional young talent after trading four prospects and a competitive balance pick for Baz.

Signing Valdez or right-hander Zac Gallen, both of whom rejected qualifying offers, would cost the Orioles their third-highest draft selection. Baltimore's competitive balance pick is expected to be No. 34 overall.

Top trade candidates like Detroit's Tarik Skubal, Milwaukee's Freddy Peralta and Washington's MacKenzie Gore would demand significant prospect packages despite limited club control. Skubal and Peralta have one year remaining, while Gore has two seasons of team control.

Verlander struggled to a 4.99 ERA in his first 16 starts last season but posted a 2.60 ERA over his final 13 outings. He struck out 10 batters in five innings against Baltimore on August 31 and held the Los Angeles Dodgers to one run over seven innings on September 12.

The veteran right-hander finished with 152 innings pitched despite missing nearly a month in the first half with a strained right pectoral muscle. Baltimore's previous signing of 40-something former Astro Charlie Morton last offseason did not produce the desired results.