Justin Verlander Will Make Highly Anticipated New York Mets Debut Saturday

2022 American League Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander will make his first appearance pitching in a New York Mets uniform Saturday, in the club's game against the Miami Marlins at 1:05 p.m. ET at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter, Florida.

2022 American League Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander will make his first appearance pitching in a New York Mets uniform Saturday, in the club's game against the Miami Marlins at 1:05 p.m. ET at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter, Florida. The Marlins and Mets share the spring training facilities.

After pitching his first 17 seasons in the American League, Verlander signed a two-year, $86.7 million contract with the Mets in December. At age 39, coming off a successful Tommy John surgery, Verlander put together his finest season yet in 2022, leading the American League in wins (18), ERA (1.75), WHIP (0.83) and ERA+. Verlander collected his third Cy Young Award of his career, and won his second World Series title, as a member of the Houston Astros.

The Seattle Mariners hung six runs and 10 hits on Verlander in Game 1 of the American League Division Series. In Game 1 of the World Series, the Phillies scored five runs on six hits and two walks off of Verlander. Verlander put concerns about his clutch-ness to rest in Game 5 of the World Series, delivering a critical victory for the Astros to give his club a 3-2 series lead, while allowing just one run in a hostile road environment at Citizens Bank Park.

The Mets, who are slight underdogs to win the National League according to the odds at Fanduel, opted not to re-sign Jacob deGrom, who received a lucrative five-year deal from the Texas Rangers last December. DeGrom has durability concerns, however. DeGrom has not made more than 15 starts in a single season since 2019.

The Mets, projected to win 93.5 games according to Fanduel, instead decided to sign Verlander to a short-term deal. Verlander, at age 40, will be the club's replacement for deGrom, who has been a staple of the franchise for nearly a decade. Saturday, Verlander will make his first appearance in a Mets uniform. He will likely not pitch more than two innings, as is par for the course for pitchers at this stage of early spring training.

Here's a look at how the Mets will line up for Saturday's game:

1) CF Tim Locastro

2) 3B Mark Vientos

3) SS Francisco Lindor

4) 1B Pete Alonso

5) DH Abraham Almonte

6) 2B Jose Peraza

7) LF Jaylin Davis

8) RF Lorenzo Cedrola

9) C Omar Narvaez

SP Justin Verlander

.@JustinVerlander makes his first start of the spring! #LGM pic.twitter.com/Q2BgZUH4Vx

— New York Mets (@Mets) March 4, 2023

Here's a look at how the Marlins will line up for Saturday's game:

1) DH Luis Arraez

2) LF Jorge Soler

3) CF Bryan De La Cruz

4) 3B Jean Segura

5) SS Joey Wendle

6) C Nick Fortes

7) RF Jesus Sanchez

8) 1B Joe Rizzo

9) 2B Jacob Amaya

SP Jesus Luzardo

Arraez and shine, it’s gameday!

🔗: https://t.co/5rOTQv6054 pic.twitter.com/FwLBBVn6Z3

— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) March 4, 2023

Check out our full American League West Preview on the Jack Vita Show!

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