What do you get when you have Uncle Steve's bottomless wallet? You get the CY Young winner for over 40 million a year. But was this the right move for the Mets?
2 Years 86 Million Dollars
This deal makes more sense than people are willing to give Eppler credit for. A short term deal reiterates the win now motto of the post Wilpon era Mets.
Let's debunk the biggest complaint I've been hearing... Verlander is old and washed up. This argument doesn't hold weight given the contract in play. At 39 years old, Verlander, is unquestionably at the end of the road, but his performance this past season shows he still has a short time left to deal at an elite level. By opting for a short term signing such as Verlander over a DeGrom you guarentee that injury or lack of performance doesn't derail the organization towards the back end of the deal.
This hefty deal, which nets Verlander close to 44 million a year, is something Mets fans aren't use to and I understand the push back. Normally the mets would sign one big name and move on from free agency. That just is not the case with Cohen's Mets.
Starting Rotation: Scherzer & Verlander
The mets rotation is moving on from the 1-2 punch of Max Scherzer and Jacob DeGrom to Max and Justin Verlander. While some will argue this is a step back for the Mets; I argue it's an improvement. DeGrom barely touched the field in 2022 so what did the Mets really lose? In his place they add a proven savvy veteran with a track record of dominance. Having two older studs in the locker room is never a bad thing.
The Mets still need to sign another pitcher but they are in a good spot with a solid 1-2 punch.
Personal Opinion and Projection
The mets made a great move in not overpaying on a long term deal for DeGrom with his injury history.
Verlander is coming off a Cy Young season and still has plenty of gas left in the tank. If the Mets continue on this path and add some bullpen arms and a major bat this team will be plugged right back into a title contention as the Mets look to build off of a 101 win season.
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