World Series Champ Justin Verlander Signs $86 Million Deal with the New York Mets: Reports

Mar. 15, 2025

Justin Verlander.Photo: John Angelillo/UPI/Shutterstock

Three-time Cy Young Award winnerJustin Verlanderhas reportedly signed a two-year contract with theNew York Mets worth $86 million, according to multiple reports.

The deal includes a full no-trade clause and the third-year option worth $35 million, according totheNew York Post’s Jon Heyman. The third year vests as a player option if Verlander throws 140 innings in 2024.

The 39-year-old pitcher helped theHouston Astros win the World Seriesearlier this year and according to ESPN, which also reported the big signing, he had the lowest ERA across MLB. He was the unanimous winner of this year’s Cy Young Award, his third time winning the coveted title.

After winning the World Series in November, Verlander opted to become a free agent, instead of staying with Astros and getting the $25 million salary he would have earned next year.

Verlander only played in one game in 2020 and missed the entire 2021 season due an elbow injury and subsequent Tommy John surgery, more formally known as ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction. But upon his return in 2022, Verlander had top notch stats leading to winning the Cy Young Award and the World Series.

Last season, the Mets went 101–61 under manager Buck Showalter and are largely considered to be a real contender in the National League in the 2023 season.

Verlander is married to modelKate Upton, and the couple — whoalso have a 4-year-old daughter, Genevieve —celebrated their fifth wedding anniversaryin November.

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In 2018, the ace pitcher talked toBleacher Reportabout his relationship with Upton, and how shehelped to guide him through his public and private strugglesas an athlete. The two began dating in 2014 as Verlander worked to recover from an injury he feared would result in the end of his career.

“I don’t like to talk to people about being hurt,” Verlander said at the time. “As athletes, you’re not supposed to… But [Upton] was someone I could talk to. I mean, basically a therapist. Somebody I could trust with… worries about my career. Worries about, Can I make it? Worries about what I’m going through to get back.”

source: people.com