As the Mets seek to build on a strong 2022 campaign and brace for the potential loss of former Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom, the team has a few big-name arms in its sights, including another future Hall of Famer: Justin Verlander.
Verlander had an incredible bounce back season in 2022, after missing much of 2020 and all of ’21 due to an injury that required Tommy John surgery. He started 28 games for the Astros, going 18–4 with a 1.75 ERA and 185 strikeouts in 175 innings.
Verlander, who turns 40 in February, opted out of his deal with the Astros, and now the Mets are courting him to reunite with former rotation-mate Max Scherzer in New York, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. He reports that the team spoke with the three-time Cy Young winner by Zoom last week, amid other reports that he is a top target for owner Steve Cohen and his team.
The Mets are also looking to hold on to deGrom, who made his return from substantial injury midway through the season, and has won a pair of Cy Young Awards for the team himself. It is unclear whether New York is interested in bringing in Verlander if deGrom also returns to the top of the rotation, with Scherzer already locked in.
In addition to Verlander, the Mets have reportedly met with Japanese pitcher Kodai Senga as well as former Yankees starter Jameson Taillon, another free agent this offseason.
Taillon, 31, pitched to a 3.91 ERA with 151 strikeouts in 32 starts last season, going 14–5.
The Mets emerged as one of the National League’s best teams in 2022, their first under manager Buck Showalter. The team went 101–61, but fell in the wild-card round to the Padres.
