Justin Verlander agrees to 2-year contract with Mets

SAN DIEGO • A person familiar with the negotiations says Justin Verlander has agreed to an $86.7 million, two-year contract with the New York Mets. The deal reunites the AL Cy Young Award winner with Max Scherzer and gives the Mets a high-profile replacement for Jacob deGrom. The deal includes a vesting third-year option, according to a person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because there was no announcement. Verlander leaves World Series champion Houston to step in for deGrom, who agreed to a $185 million, fiveyear contract with Texas last week. It also puts Verlander on the same team as Scherzer after they played together with the Tigers from 201014. The 39-year-old Verlander went 18-4 with a major league-low 1.75 ERA in 28 starts for the Astros. The right-hander also got his first career World Series win in Game 5 as Houston beat Philadelphia in six games.

Verlander declined a $25 million option five days after helping the Astros to the franchise’s second championship, making him a free agent.

The nine-time All-Star broke into the majors with Detroit in 2005 and stayed with the Tigers until he was traded to the Astros in August 2017. He won his first Cy Young Award in 2011 and also took home AL MVP honors after going 24-5 with a 2.40 ERA in 34 starts.

Verlander is 244-133 with a 3.24 ERA and 3,198 strikeouts in 17 seasons. He also won the 2019 AL Cy Young Award, going 21-6 with a 2.58 ERA in 34 starts.