The New York Mets reportedly bolstered their pitching staff in a big way Monday, coming to terms with three-time Cy Young winner Justin Verlander on a two-year contract.
According to multiple reports, Verlander’s deal is for $86 million and includes an option for a third year.
Verlander, 39, is coming off one of the best seasons of his career and helped the Houston Astros win the World Series. The veteran right-hander went 18-4 and posted a career-best 1.75 ERA across 28 starts to win his third Cy Young award. Verlander was also 10th in AL MVP voting and led the league’s pitchers in win percentage (.818) and WHIP (0.829).
He went 2-0 and struck out 25 batters in four starts for the Astros this past postseason.
Verlander is MLB’s active leader for strikeouts with 3,198 in his career, which is also good enough for 12th all-time.
The signing puts Verlander back together with fellow three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer. The two played together with the Detroit Tigers from 2010 to 2014.
Scherzer went 11-5 in his first season with the Mets, helping the club win 101 games. New York lost in the NL Wild Card Series in three games to the San Diego Padres.
New York’s signing also softens the blow of losing Jacob deGrom, who signed a five-year, $185 million deal with the Texas Rangers.
–Field Level Media