Reports: Mets to sign reigning AL Cy Young winner Justin Verlander
NEW YORK -- Days after losing Jacob deGrom in free agency, the Mets have pivoted in a big way.
According to multiple reports, New York has agreed to sign three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander to a two-year contract that will pay him $86.7 million.
The contract is worth $43,333,333 per season and includes a vesting player option for 2025 at $35 million, according to a person familiar with the negotiations who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Monday because there was no immediate announcement.
Source confirms: Justin Verlander in agreement with Mets, two years, $86M with vesting option for third year. First: @JonHeyman, @martinonyc.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 5, 2022
Verlander, who will turn 40 in February, is coming off a monster season with the Houston Astros in which he went 18-4 with a 1.75 ERA, earning him the AL Cy Young. The right-hander also got his first career World Series win in Game 5 as Houston beat Philadelphia in six games.
He became a free agent after opting out of his deal with the Astros that would have paid him $25 million in 2023.
The nine-time All-Star broke into the majors with Detroit in 2005 and stayed with the Tigers until he was traded to the Astros in August 2017. He won his first Cy Young Award in 2011 and also took home AL MVP honors after going 24-5 with a 2.40 ERA in 34 starts.
Verlander will slot in next to Max Scherzer, giving the Mets the best 1-2 starting pitcher combination in baseball.
A lock for the Hall of Fame, Verlander is 244-133 with a 3.24 ERA and 3,198 strikeouts in the regular season during his 17-year career.
DeGrom reportedly agreed to a five-year, $185 million deal with the Texas Rangers late last week.