A day after the Houston Astros extended a one-year/$18.4 million qualifying offer to Justin Verlander, the former American League MVP held a showcase for interested teams Monday.
Verlander is an especially difficult free agent to pin because he'll turn 39 in February and Tommy John surgery essentially cost him all of 2020 and 2021. With that said, he's one of the greatest pitchers of his era, and won his second American League Cy Young Award in 2019, his most recent full season.
It could be that the eight-time All-Star ultimately accepts the qualifying offer and returns to the Astros. However, if his camp gets the sense in the coming days that some team will be willing to roll the dice and guarantee him multiple seasons (or just more money in 2021), he could decline it and look for a new deal in free agency.
Of course, how Verlander looked Monday may have a direct impact on his market, and whether he accepts or declines the qualifying offer before the Nov. 17 deadline. Here's everything we know so far about his throwing session in Florida:
- Joel Sherman of The New York Post says that there is "a strong chance" Verlander declines the qualifying offer after a 25-pitch session that saw him reach as high as 97 mph on the radar gun. Audacy Sports MLB Insider Jon Heyman echoed similar sentiments, suggesting Verlander could land a two-year deal.
- Additionally, Sherman adds that "15-20" teams were in attendance to see Verlander's session, specifically naming the New York Yankees and New York Mets.
- Britt Ghiroli of The Athletic says that in addition to the Yankees, the Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers had scouts watching Verlander throw. Verlander, of course, spent parts of 13 seasons with the Tigers before being traded to the Astros in August of 2017.
- WEEI's Rob Bradford reports that the Boston Red Sox attended the showcase.
- Los Angeles Angels general manager Perry Minasian told the collective media, including Sam Blum of The Athletic, that the Angels had a scout in attendance to watch Verlander throw.
- Scott Mitchell of TSN reports that the Toronto Blue Jays had representation at Verlander's showcase, though his guess is that the Blue Jays were just doing "due diligence."
- Ken Davidoff of The New York Post calls the San Francisco Giants "a suitor" for Verlander as well.
- Jon Morosi and Harold Reynolds of MLB Network noted that Verlander "has reached 95-96 mph in recent throwing sessions." Morosi added that he's heard that Verlander is on the Tom Brady approach, hoping to play until he's 45 years old.
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