Mets make correct decision in signing Justin Verlander to replace Jacob deGrom

The New York Mets have signed Justin Verlander to a two-year $86 million dollar deal (per Jon Heyman) with a third year vesting option. The Mets lost Jacob deGrom but have a new ace to pair with Max Scherzer at the top of their rotation.

Verlander is coming off a season where he went 18-4 with a 1.75 ERA in 28 starts. He won the second Cy Young Award of his career and won the World Series with the Astros. At age 39 it's clear that he is not slowing down.

Mets make correct decision by signing Justin Verlander

Losing Jacob deGrom hurts. He was a Mets icon and one of the best pitchers in franchise history. He's also the best pitcher in baseball when healthy. He was without a doubt my number one choice.

My second choice of a pitcher for the Mets to sign was Justin Verlander. Yes, his age is scary, but he only has two guaranteed years on his deal and does not require draft-pick compensation. Had they signed someone like Carlos Rodon, that'd require more commitment in terms of years and draft pick compensation as he had the qualifying offer attached.

Verlander might not be quite as good as deGrom is, but he is probably a safer bet to stay on the field. He did undergo Tommy John Surgery and missed two seasons but stayed healthy for most of 2022.

Only committing to two seasons for Verlander is a huge win. The Mets are going for it with two future Hall of Famers heading the staff.

The Mets do have some other holes to address even after the Verlander signing. They need another starting pitcher. They need some relievers. They need a center fielder.

The Mets have two former Tigers anchored at the top of their rotation. Verlander and Max Scherzer were teammates years ago with the Tigers and reached the World Series together. Let's hope they can do the same for the Mets.