Justin Verlander #35 of the Houston Astros looks on in the second inning during Game 5 of the 2022 World Series between the Houston Astros and the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Thursday, November 3, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty ImagesThe Astros' ace in the franchise's golden era is on his way out of Houston.
Justin Verlander is reportedly signing with the New York Mets, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman. Verlander will earn $86 million over the course of a two-year deal, with a vesting option set for a potential third year. Verlander's brother—Ben Verlander, host of the Flippin' Bats Podcast—announced the news as well.
Verlander will enter his age-40 season in 2023, but he didn't show any signs of slowing down last season. He led the American League with a 1.75 ERA in 175 innings en route to the AL Cy Young, and his 220 ERA+ was the fourth-best mark of any pitcher this century. Verlander was relatively inconsistent by his standards in the postseason, though he still captured his first win in a World Series start in Game 5 of the 2022 Fall Classic.
The future Hall of Famer furnished his legacy as one of the best pitchers of the modern era during his Houston tenure. He won two Cy Young awards and a pair of championships in three healthy seasons with the Astros, and he now exits the club as one of the greatest pitchers in franchise history. Verlander went 61–19 in 102 regular-season starts, posting a paltry 2.26 ERA across 652 innings. He added a number of impressive playoff performances, including 16 innings against the Yankees in the 2017 ALCS in which Verlander allowed just one earned run while striking out 21 batters.
Verlander was integral in bringing Houston its long-awaited championship in 2017. Perhaps he'll do the same in Queens in 2023, as the Mets eye their first title since 1986.