Two years ago, as baseball’s winter meetings approached, Justin Verlander was one of the hottest names on the free-agent market. Weeks earlier, the ultra-accomplished right-hander had added yet another accolade to his collection when he won the 2022 AL Cy Young Award unanimously, becoming the 11th pitcher in MLB history to win three Cy Youngs. Not only had he delivered a sparkling campaign in his first year back from Tommy John surgery, but he had also done so at age 39, making him the fourth-oldest pitcher to claim the game’s top pitching prize. And if his individual triumphs weren’t enough, Verlander’s Astros had just won the World Series.
Such a sensational season at such an advanced age made Verlander an especially unique free agent following the expiration of his Astros contract. Still seemingly at the top of his craft, Verlander deserved a significant payday. But for a pitcher who was about to turn 40, it seemed likely that such a deal would come in the form of a shorter-term pact with a massive average annual value.
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