Verlander was unanimously voted as the American League Cy Young Award winner on Wednesday, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports
The future Hall of Famer finished the season with an incredible 1.75 ERA and 0.83 WHIP across 175 innings, securing the third Cy Young Award of his career (2011, 2019) in a unanimous decision. Though Verlander, a free agent, will turn 40 before the start of next season, he has shown no signs of slowing down and figures to have no trouble attracting lucrative offers on the open market.
Verlander declined his $25 million player option for 2023 on Thursday and became a free agent, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.
After he missed the entire 2021 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, Verlander re-signed with the Astros last November on a one-year, $25 million deal that contained a conditional $25 million player option for 2023 if he tossed at least 130 innings in 2022. Not only did Verlander blow past that mark by covering 175 frames, but he finished the campaign as the odds-on favorite for the American League Cy Young Award by going 18-4 with a 1.75 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and 185:29 K:BB. Though he'll be entering his age-40 season in 2023, Verlander has shown no signs of slowing down and shouldn't have much trouble securing a multi-year deal in free agency at well above the $25 million annual salary he would have due had he exercised his option. Given the great success Verlander has enjoyed since arriving in Houston in an August 2017 trade with the Tigers, expect the Astros to do everything they can to retain their ace this offseason.
Astros' Justin Verlander: Battles for win in Game 5
Rotowire
Verlander pitched five innings and earned the win during Thursday's 3-2 victory over the Phillies in Game 5 of the World Series, allowing one run on four hits and four walks while striking out six.
Verlander surrendered a leadoff homer to Kyle Schwarber in the first inning and seven more Phillies reached base in the first three frames, but he was able to work out of multiple jams without allowing another run. Pitching in his 17th season, Verlander recorded his first World Series win on the mound Thursday night. The righty has struggled to a 5.85 ERA over 20 innings in this postseason, but one more Houston victory would give him his second World Series ring.
