Justin Verlander was asked what sold him on the Mets' plans to go all-in for a second straight offseason, and the new Mets ace didn't hesitate in his one-word response.
"Steve," Verlander said, via Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.
Of course, Steve Cohen has proven that to be true, adding Kodai Senga and Jose Quintana in addition to Verlander to completely retool the rotation, while retaining a crucial bat in Brandon Nimmo on an eight-year deal. Cohen has blown past the top luxury tax tier, and was even in on Carlos Correa before the star shortstop signed with the Giants. Cohen's commitment to spending, and winning, was a big factor in Verlander's decision to come to New York.
"I had a lovely conversation with Steve in the first week or so of my free agency," Verlander said. "It gave me such a positive vibe about what this franchise is, and he wants to make this franchise amazing."
Verlander told reporters at Tuesday's introductory press conference that he wanted to know how Cohen planned to address the big names from the 2022 Mets that were free agents heading into the offseason, and clearly, Cohen left little doubt that the team would be committed to rebuilding a winner.
"Losing a few big pieces, how do you plan on filling these voids?" was Verlander's question to ownership. "The answers were tremendous.
"I took a leap of faith and here we are a few weeks later, and I think that leap of faith paid off. Obviously, the surrounding cast, the players that this organization has brought in is nothing short of incredible. I cannot wait to be part of something amazing."
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
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