Could Mets Reunite Justin Verlander And Max Scherzer?

The Mets have reportedly spoken to free agent ace Justin Verlander, who is expected to command a contract similar to the one Max Scherzer signed with New York last offseason.

A year after signing Max Scherzer to a record-setting contract, the Mets are showing interest another expensive starter.

New York spoke with free agent ace Justin Verlander last week, according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal. Houston Astros owner Jim Crane recently said that the 39-year-old Verlander is looking for a deal similar to the three-year, $130 million pact Scherzer signed last winter ahead of his age-38 season.

Scherzer’s average annual salary, $43.3 million, isn’t a bad place for Verlander to start in negotiations, as he’s fresh off a unanimous American League Cy Young Award win. Verlander showed zero rust after Tommy John surgery cost him all but one game in 2020 and the entire 2021 season. The right-hander led the American League with 18 wins and a 1.75 ERA while helping the Astros to another American League West title and World Series championship.

Could Verlander follow that up by reuniting with Scherzer in Queens after the two pitched together in Detroit from 2010 to 2014?

New York has multiple rotation questions to address, as Jacob deGrom, Chris Bassitt and Taijuan Walker are all free agents, too. deGrom shared the title of co-ace with Scherzer in 2022, but the 34-year-old will also command a mega-millions deal on the open market.

The New York Post’s Mike Puma recently reported that the Mets believe they will re-sign deGrom so long as their offer is equal to or competitive with that of other suitors. Puma added that Verlander is an option the Mets are considering if deGrom signs elsewhere.

Mets fans surely don’t want to watch deGrom pitch elsewhere, but Verlander would be a lot more than a consolation prize. While he and Scherzer would make for a rather old one-two punch, the former Tigers have six Cy Young Awards, three World Series titles, 17 All-Star appearances, 445 wins and 6,391 strikeouts between them.

Rosenthal noted that the Astros would like Verlander back and mentioned the Dodgers and possibly the Yankees among the pitcher’s other suitors.

The Mets also recently met with Japanese right-hander Kodai Senga. Rosenthal added that they’ve also been in contact with right-hander Jameson Taillon, who has spent the past two seasons with the Yankees.