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Justin Verlander, who played for the Houston Astros, won his second World Series, making him the fourth-oldest player to ever take home the Cy Young trophy. Verlander was the league's best pitcher in terms of wins (18), ERA (1.75), and win percentage one year after having Tommy John surgery (.818). He had the lowest ERA of any pitcher who was age 39 or older in a season.
The Houston Astros' ace finished his 17th professional season with a victory in Game 5 of the World Series after leading the AL in ERA on his way to winning the Cy Young award on Wednesday night. Justin Verlander now faces a critical choice after becoming the 11th pitcher to ever win three Cy Young awards.
He had only pitched six innings over the previous two seasons combined and entered the season at +2000 to win the Cy Young. To the surprise of many, he had his most astounding performance to date and looks to take home his third prestigious award.
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Some big names after Justin Verlander
"Verlander on free agency: I'm going to be in a situation where the market will dictate this and we'll see what happens. Obviously, there are other people that are interested. Jim (Crane) understands that" - brianmctaggart
The likelihood of the Dodgers pursuing Justin Verlander seems to have increased. Since Tyler Anderson won't be returning, Los Angeles needs to replace a number of rotation spots. On Tuesday, Anderson reportedly accepted a three-year deal with the Angels, but turned down the team's qualifying offer.
A year ago, the Yankees reportedly made a $25 million, one-year offer to Verlander in an attempt to sign him. The Yankees' exact stance on Verlander is unknown, although they say their New York rivals are exploring a bid for the right-hander.
After making a full recovery from Tommy John surgery and putting together a season that will probably win him his third Cy Young Award, Justin Verlander's free-agent status is significantly better this year.
Can the Astros keep a hold off their right-hand ace?
"Rosenthal: Verlander . . . seemed a good bet to re-sign quickly with the Astros. But it has not happened, perhaps because Verlander sees the potential for lucrative opportunities with the Mets, Yankees and Dodgers, among others" - MichiganYankees
Justin Verlander declined his $25 million player option for 2023, becoming a free agent for the second consecutive offseason. Owner of the Astros, Jim Crane, stated that the team is attempting to re-sign Verlander and has spoken to the 39-year-old about a new deal.
The Astros re-signed Verlander for $25 million in 2022 after he was made available on the market last year. But this time, it's probably going to require a lot more. After having Tommy John surgery in 2021, Justin Verlander made a successful comeback in 2022 and put together a campaign that very certainly won him his third Cy Young Award.
