How do you reward the only pitcher in baseball history to throw a no-hitter, start a World Series game and be a Rookie of the Year and an All-Star in his first two full seasons?
Well the Detroit Tigers decided the way to reward someone like that is to give him a five-year $80million contract, agreeing, in the process, to avoid salary arbitration. That pitcher is Justin Verlander.
Verlander who is now in his fourth season had a career year last year, winning a career-high 19 games posting a career low ERA 3.45, leading the league in strikeouts with 269 and starting 35 games – more than anyone else in the majors. He struggled the year before, going 11-17 with a 4.84 ERA and only striking out 163 batters.
The deal, according to a source close to the negotiations, is the second most lucrative contract to avoid arbitration since the Philadelphia Phillies signed Chase Utley to a seven-year $85million contract. Verlander’s deal surpasses that of Felix Hernandez who just a couple of weeks ago signed for five years and $78million with the Seattle Mariners.
The 26-year-old regularly hits 100mph on the speed gun and has built a reputation as one of the most feared pitchers in the league.
“When you’re hitting your spots at 100 [mph], to be honest, it’s going to be a tough day. The guy throws 95 to 100, so you’re not looking for a slider, and when he throws it that good for a strike it just kind of buckles you and you have to tip your cap,” Milwaukee Brewers slugger Prince Fielder said after Verlander pitched a no-hitter in 2007.
The new deal represents a big pay rise for the fireballer from Virginia who made $3.675million last year. The deal has yet to be officially announced and physicals are still pending but if all goes well the deal could be announced as early as Thursday afternoon.
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