Astros, Mets Agree To Justin Verlander Trade

Source: MLBTradeRumors.com

1:48pm: The Mets and Astros are in agreement on a trade sending Justin Verlander from New York back to Houston, reports USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com had reported about a minute prior that the two teams were close to a deal. Houston will send two minor leaguers back to the Mets in the trade, Nightengale adds.

Verlander, 40, was with the Astros from 2017-22 and departed as a free agent this offseason to sign for a record-tying annual value in Queens. His two-year, $86.666MM contract tied his former Tigers teammate Max Scherzer’s $43.333MM AAV on a three-year deal with the Mets, but the reunion between the two future Hall of Famers will only prove to last a few months before being spun into a rivalry. The Mets shipped Scherzer to the Rangers on Saturday and will now send Verlander to Texas’ top division rival.

1:55pm: Top outfield prospect Drew Gilbert is going to the Mets in the trade, tweets Feinsand. Nightengale adds that minor league outfielder Ryan Clifford is also going to the Mets in the deal.

2:55pm: Nightengale tweets that the Mets are paying as much as $54MM to the Astros — assuming Verlander’s option vests. (It’s not yet clear what they’d pay if it fails to vest.) Verlander is still guaranteed $14.444MM this year, plus $43.333MM next year and a potential $35MM in 2025, for a total of just under $93MM. The Astros, then, would be on the hook for only $39MM in total between now and 2025, should Verlander’s option ultimately vest. For luxury purposes, the Mets will still be taxed on any money shipped to Houston.

Read more: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/08/mets-trade-justin-verlander-astros.html