Justin Verlander Update: 3-Team AL East Race To Sign Future Hall of Famer

 

The Justin Verlander market continues to evolve. MLB Insider Ken Rosenthal has now reported that Verlander wants to pitch on the East Coast, and his preference is to be with a team that trains in Florida. And Rosenthal is hearing that makes this a 3-team race between the New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox. "Those are the three main teams," said Rosenthal.

Rosenthal on Verlander

"The Yankees are in. The Blue Jays certainly are in. I believe the Red Sox might be in. So it could come down to one of those three AL East powers. Those are the three main teams." https://t.co/OjPJQXh3AG

— Brandon Wile (@Brandon_N_Wile) November 17, 2021

He expects that the 39-year-old Verlander will try to score a deal for as many years as he can get. The 2-time Cy Young winner has already said he wants to pitch into his mid-40s.

Verlander has missed the last two full seasons after Tommy John surgery. And the list of pitchers coming back to full form after age 37 (the age at which he had the TJ operation) is an extremely short one. But the list of pitchers of the caliber of Justin Verlander in this generation is also very short. And the last time we saw Verlander pitch a full season, 2019, he won the Cy Young. 

The interest of the Blue Jays and Red Sox jibes with a report from Joel Sherman of the New York Post, who notes that both of those teams were also "aggressive" in trying to sign Noah Syndergaard, who falls into the same category as Verlander of a shorter-term, higher-upside starter coming off a lengthy injury absence. 

The Atlanta Braves have also been mentioned as a potential player in the Verlander sweepstakes, as they fit the East Coast/FLA training complex requirements. 

A decision could come as soon as this week, at least in advance of the potential Dec. 1st lockout at the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement. 

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