The New York Mets will reportedly be replacing one multiple Cy Young Award winner with another.
The Amazins are signing Justin Verlander to a two-year deal worth $86 million, with an option for a third season, according to multiple published reports. Verlander's brother Ben, who works for Fox Sports, also confirmed the decision.
Verlander, who will be 40 in February, spent last season with the Houston Astros, winning his second World Series title with the team. He also won the World Series with Houston in 2017, after being traded to Houston by the Detroit Tigers in August of that season.
He is the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner, winning the award for a third time in 2022. He led the AL last season in wins (18) and earned run average (1.75). He also had 185 strikeouts.
Verlander previously won the AL Cy Young Award, which is given to the best pitcher in the American League, in 2019 and in 2011, while with the Tigers. In addition to winning the AL Cy Young Award in 2011, he was also named AL MVP that year. He led the AL in wins, earned run average and strikeouts in 2011, a feat known as the pitching "Triple Crown."
For his career, Verlander has 244 wins and 133 losses, with a career earned run average of 3.24. He is one of 19 pitchers in MLB history who have struck out 3,000 or more batters in their careers. Verlander and Max Scherzer, his new Mets teammate, are the only pitchers still active in MLB to do so.
The right-hander made his MLB debut with the Tigers in 2005. He appeared in the World Series twice with Detroit, in 2006 and 2012, losing both times.
The Mets were in the market for an ace to replace Jacob deGrom, who signed a five-year contract with the Texas Rangers on Friday after nine seasons in Queens. DeGrom won two National League Cy Young Awards as a Met, in 2018 and 2019.