HOUSTON, TX – MAY 01: Justin Verlander #35 of the Houston Astros looks on from the dugout in the eighth inning against the New York Yankees at Minute Maid Park on May 1, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
Justin Verlander is heading back to the open market.
Via MLB Network’s Jon Morosithe 39-year-old ace will decline his $25 million player option with the Houston Astros to re-enter free agency.
After leading the Astros to their second championship in the last five years, one may think Twitter flooded with fans pleading Verlander to return. However, Detroit Tigers supporters instead urged him to rejoin his first MLB organization.
Verlander’s opt-out decision is hardly a surprise. The star pitcher received a $25 million deal to stay in Houston last offseason despite Tommy John surgery limiting him to just one start over the previous two seasons.
He returned without missing a beat, posting a 1.75 ERA during 175 superb regular-season innings that will likely yield his third Cy Young Award. Although he endured a shaky postseason, Verlander threw a game to begin the ALCS and recorded his first career World Series win in Game 5.
As a result, Verlander should have no problem dramatically eclipsing a $25 million salary in a multi-year deal. He could use former Tigers teammate Max Scherzer’s three-year, $130 million pact signed with the New York Mets last winter as a point of reference.
The Tigers haven’t made the playoffs since Verlander and Scherzer headlined the rotation in 2014. They didn’t make any progress when going 66-96 in 2022, so a reunion seems highly unlikely at the tail end of Verlander’s career.
However, sticking with the Astros isn’t definite either. They have a litany of talented young pitchers in Framber Valdez, Cristian Javier, Lance McCullers Jr., Luis Garcia, Jose Urquidy, and Hunter Brown.
Verlander is one of several star free agents to monitor this offseason.
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