HOUSTON, TX — Two-time World Series Winner Justin Verlander signed with the New York Mets in the offseason. In an unexpected twist of fate, the Mets are in the market to shop their Cy Young Award-winning pitcher. Spending less than a full season in New York, it looks like Verlander is headed straight back to Houston.
Verlander spent 2017-2022 with the Astros, winning two Cy Young Awards and two World Series titles before he turned down a $25 million extension with Houston. Obviously, there wasn’t any bad blood between the ace pitcher and the Astros, as the club made a blockbuster deal. According to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, Houston sends New York outfielders Drew Gilbert (Houston’s No. 1 prospect) and Ryan Clifford (Houston’s No. 4 prospect) for Verlander.
(Credit: mlb.com)
Justin Verlander in action with the New York Mets
(Credit: foxnews.com)
Neither club has officially confirmed the trade yet. However, Verlander has a no-trade clause in his contract that he waived. Verlander, 40, now gives an Astros team that struggled with its starting pitching this season an adrenaline shot in the leg as teams move towards a playoff push. Verlander sports a 6-5 record this season with a 3.15 ERA (earned run average). He also has 81 strikeouts and a 1.15 WHIP (Walks and Hits per innings pitched) percentage. These stats might not reflect what he did a year ago in Houston, but the Astros know how to get results from the starting pitcher.
This move comes just after the AL West-leading Texas Rangers made a deal to acquire starting pitcher Max Scherzer from the Mets on Sunday. Houston sits half a game back of the Rangers in second place. With a little more than two months left in the season, the Astros made a move that could potentially send them on another deep playoff run.
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