Three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander She has agreed to a two-year, $86 million deal with the New York Mets, sources told ESPN’s Jeff Bassan Monday.
A source told ESPN that the deal includes a third-year vesting option.
Verlander, who turned 40 in February, returned from Tommy John surgery to lead the Houston Astros to their second World Series in 2022. He had the lowest ERA in the majors and was a unanimous winner of the Cy Young Award for the third time — becoming the first player to win the award since It was not shown in the previous season.
He went 18-4 with a 1.75 ERA and 185 strikeouts in 28 starts last season and made his ninth All-Star team. Verlander won Game 5 in Philadelphia for the first World Series win of his illustrious career, then became a free agent in November after picking the $25 million salary he would have in 2023.
After losing out to the two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob DeGrum To the Texas Rangers via free agency, the Mets will now pair Verlander at the top of the rotation with Max ScherzerHe is also a three-time Cy Young Award winner.
This will be Verlander’s first time playing a full season in the National League after spending his career with the Astros and Detroit Tigers, where he played in his first 13 seasons.
The veteran made four starts against the NL East last season, not giving up a single run earned in 25 innings. For his career, he has a 2.14 ERA against the NL East, which is his best against any division, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
Verlander started only once in 2020 due to an elbow injury and missed the entire 2021 season while recovering from surgery.
This season, he led the American League in wins and led the majors in both ERA and WHIP, against an Astros staff that helped secure a championship. His ERA was the best by a pitcher who made at least 25 starts in a season of 39 or more since earned runs became officially recognized in 1913, and it was the lowest by an AL pitcher in a full season — of all time — Since Pedro Martinez has a 1.74 ERA in 2000.
Verlander completed at least six innings pitched in 22 of his 28 starts and accumulated 175 runs during the regular season, striking out 185 and striking out and walking only 29. He also became the second non-rookie ever to achieve at least 15 starts and post a sub. -2.00 ERA despite not pitching in the majors the previous season, according to ESPN Stats and Information Research.
The Associated Press and ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez contributed to this report.
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