The Mets wasted little time filling in the Jacob deGrom-shaped void in their rotation, reportedly agreeing to terms with reigning AL Cy Young winner Justin Verlander, per Andy Martino of SNY.
Verlander, 39, is one of the game's greatest-ever pitchers, a future Hall of Famer who played a central role in helping the Astros capture their second World Series championship. Fresh off Tommy John surgery that kept him out nearly two full seasons, Verlander sparkled in 2022, going 18-4 with a 1.75 ERA in 175 innings of work.
He'll rejoin former teammate Max Scherzer, who he combined with in Detroit, and hope to push New York closer to its championship ambitions, something owner Steve Cohen has been quite vocal about over the past couple of years.
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With that, here's everything you need to know about Verlander's gaudy new contract.
Justin Verlander Mets contract details
Verlander strolled to his Cy Young victory in 2022, nabbing all 30 first-place votes. His vaunted status among MLB pitchers was reflected in his new contract, as well.
Per Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Verlander inked a two-year deal to move to Citi Field. He'll net $86.6 million over the course of his deal, an average annual value (AAV) of $43.3 million.
Verlander details #mets
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 5, 2022
$43.3M per year
Full no trade
3rd year option: at $35M
There's an interesting wrinkle in Verlander's deal: he has a third-year vesting option valued at $35 million. That option is only vested as a player option if Verlander reaches the 140-inning plateau in 2024. So for those worried about Verlander's health after his injury-filled 2020 and 2021 seasons, it seems the Mets are taking steps to ensure they get the most value possible out of the former AL MVP winner.
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Highest-paid MLB pitchers
Curiously enough, Verlander's deal nearly matches that of old/new teammate Max Scherzer, who inked a three-year, $130 million contract with New York before the start of the 2022 season. In terms of AAV, those are the two biggest contracts in the league among starting pitchers.
| Rank | Player | AAV |
| 1 | Max Scherzer | $43.33 million |
| 2 | Justin Verlander | $43.3 million |
| 3 | Jacob deGrom | $37 million |
| 4 | Gerrit Cole | $36 million |
| 5 | Trevor Bauer | $35.33 million |
| 6 | Stephen Strasburg | $35 million |
| 7 | Shohei Ohtani | $30 million |
| 8 | Chris Sale | $27.5 million |
| 9 | Marcus Stroman | $25 million |
| 10 | Zack Wheeler | $24.5 million |
