The New York Mets appear to be replacing one Cy Young winner with another.
After losing Jacob deGrom to the Rangers in free agency over the weekend, the Mets are reportedly reaching an agreement with another major free agency arm in Justin Verlander, a source told MLB’s Jon Paul Morosi. .com. SNY’s Andy Martino was first to report on the deal. According to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman and others, the contract is for two years and $86 million, with a third-year vest option.
The club has not confirmed the possible deal.
Verlander, 39, has continued to defy time, finishing the 2022 regular season with an MLB-best 1.75 ERA in 28 starts for the Astros. The strong right-hander still regularly throws a fastball over 90 mph late in games, and he also led the Majors in WHIP (0.83) and fewest hits per nine innings (6).
After another terrific season, Verlander opted out of the year and $25 million remaining on his contract with the Astros to test the free agency waters.
Overall, Verlander has pitched in 17 major league seasons. He was named AL Rookie of the Year in 2006, AL MVP in 2011 and won two AL Cy Young Awards within eight years of each other (2011 and 2019). He has been selected as an All-Star nine times and remains one of the elite starting pitchers in the game despite undergoing Tommy John surgery and missing the entire 2021 season. He is also one of only six pitchers in history in throw three or more no-hitters, throwing one against the Brewers in 2007 and two against the Blue Jays (2011 and 2019).
Although his postseason record is checkered, Verlander was named 2017 ALCS MVP after allowing just one earned run on 10 hits in 16 innings against the Yankees, walking two and striking out 21. His playoff experience is extensive: He has appeared in five World Series, two with the Tigers (2006 and ’12) and three with the Astros (2017, ’19 and ’22).
Verlander finally earned his first World Series victory in Game 5 of the 2022 Fall Classic against Philadelphia, allowing one run on four hits, walking four and striking out six in five innings at Citizens Bank Park.
