SantaFeToday.com Santa Fe’s Hometown News
By Arnie Leshin
Now you know why New York Mets owner Steve Cohen didn’t let it bother him after Jacob deGrom recently signed a five-year deal with the Texas Rangers, for he headed straight to San Diego for the beginning of the Major League Baseball meetings and wasted no time in getting 3-time Cy Young winner, future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander to sign on the dotted line.
Just like that, the wealthiest owner of all profession sports franchises apparently knew what came, wish deGrom luck and bring in Verlander with a 2-year deal worth $86 million. Will Mets free agent outfielder Brandon Nimmo be next, Cohen didn’t say, but the acquisition of right-hander Verlander who turns 40 in February, now has the Verlander-Max Scherzer reunion after the two Cy Young winners spent four years together on the mound for the Detroit Tigers.
Presently, the Mets have an All-Star one-two pitching punch with Verlander and Scherzer. Remaining starters could include right-handers Carlos Carasco, and Tyler Megill, and southpaw David Peterson.
Verlander retuned to the Houston Astros from Tommy John surgery and hurled them to their second World Series championship in 2022. He had the lowest ERA in the majors and was a unanimous winner of the Cy Young Award, his third, and thus becoming the initial player to earn the prestigious prize after not pitching in the previous season.
He went 18-4 with a 1.75 ERA to go with 185 strikeouts in 28 starts this past season and made his ninth All-Star team. He won game 5 in Philadelphia for the first World Series victory of his illustrious career, then became free agent this month.
His superstar model wife Kate Upton was at game 5 in Philly and knew something might be developing with the rival Mets when she gave a middle finger sign to the Liberty Bell City fans. A cover girl and fashion influencer, Upton boasts more than 6 million followed models around the globe. But it’s not a cover shot or sizzling bikini pic making the rounds, but rather a video of the supermodel shooting the bird to Philadelphia Phillies fans.
“Heck,” Upton said, “I have no problem with Philly fans, but I do love New York City and have quite a number of contracts there, plus Justin gave the thumbs up to me when he began negotiating with the Mets, so we are 100 percent to coming to New York.”
Mets fans are hoping that Nimmo stays pit. The Wyoming native, the only major league baseball player to ever come from that state that doesn’t field high school baseball teams.
With the Mets, he went from a rising centerfielder to a quality centerfielder. As the lead-off batter, No. 9 became a fan favorite because of his leadership, ability to get on base, taking the extra base, and becoming a consistent hitter with gaps he found, and coming up with more power. Right-fielder Starling Marte, a very good centerfielder, reported to spring trainer and was told he would play center, but after watching the much-improved Nimmo, he told manager Buck Showalter that he’s fine in right and Nimmo is a very capable player in center.
No doubt the Mets are anxious to again sign Nimmo, but so are the San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays, Colorado Rockies and New York Yankees. Would he want to remain and play in the Empire State, would he want to play for Colorado back in his home state, would be want to play on the West Coast for the Giants or in Canada for the Blue Jays.
None of this matters to Verlander. He’s set for a big spot in New York, New York, Scherzer has already said it would great to be back with him, and Cohen reported that he didn’t win every deal he made, but this one is a good one and deGrom was a good one, but best of luck to him now in Texas.
