Justin Verlander currently holds a 4.85 ERA after being knocked around in his last start against the Braves, and he told Newsday's Tim Healey that his current performance is simply unacceptable.
"I'm not paid the way I'm paid, and I don't expect, to pitch like that," Verlander told Healey. "Right now it's too hard. It's like having to grind for every out. Nothing is coming easy. Not that anything is ever easy, but when I'm right, it's a whole hell of a lot easier.
"I'm not just OK being mediocre or subpar. It's not in my DNA. I'm going to work harder than anybody on the planet to fix it."
Verlander, coming off a stellar season and a World Series title, began the year on the IL and hasn't been able to find a rhythm since returning. He surrendered back-to-back home runs in his first inning of work on the season and hasn't found his way since, and he wonders if he has been overdoing it at 40 years old. But he will do whatever it takes to be the ace the Mets paid for this past offseason.
"I think I'm trending in the right direction," Verlander said. "I hope I find it, because I need to not throw so much."
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
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