Justin Verlander underwent Tommy John surgery in 2021, and his career was in question. Over the offseason, the Astros signed Verlander to a 2-year, $50 million contract extension, with an opt-out in the second year.
This past season, Justin Verlander did something we’ve never seen before. Coming off Tommy John surgery and entering his age 39 season, he put up Cy Young numbers.
Justin Verlander’s 2022 Stats:
18-4 (2nd)
1.75 ERA (1st)
185 K’s (20th)
0.83 WHIP (1st)
Justin Verlander proved everyone wrong, and he showed that he still has a lot left to prove. Could he be a potential target for the New York Yankees?
Per Ken Rosenthal, Verlander may be open to a larger deal with a contender like the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, or New York Mets.
Verlander would be a great fit in New York and was reportedly on the Yankees’ radar the last offseason. New York reportedly offered Verlander a one-year contract worth $25 million. If the Yankees did sign Verlander, he would reunite with Gerrit Cole.
Potential starting rotation:
- Gerrit Cole
- Justin Verlander
- Nestor Cortes Jr.
- Luis Severino
- Frankie Montas
This potential rotation would be one of the best in baseball, especially if Frankie Montas is fully healthy next season. I would love to see Justin Verlander in pinstripes next season. It would bolster an elite pitching staff and would greatly help the Yankees to finally take down the Astros and bring home the long-awaited 28th championship.
