{"id":18134,"date":"2019-03-23T15:44:36","date_gmt":"2019-03-23T19:44:36","guid":{"rendered":"lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/\/?p=18134"},"modified":"2019-03-26T10:23:22","modified_gmt":"2019-03-26T14:23:22","slug":"breaking-news-astros-verlander-sign-extension","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2019\/03\/23\/breaking-news-astros-verlander-sign-extension\/","title":{"rendered":"Report: Houston Astros, Justin Verlander Sign Extension"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Houston Astros have continued their effort on keeping talent in the organization with the contract extension of ace right-handed pitcher Justin Verlander<\/a>. According to Jeff Passan<\/a>, it is a two-year, $66 million deal. This extension will start after this coming season.<\/p>\n

Justin will have a secure home for the next three years. This season, he will go to battle as part of a starting rotation that will also include\u00a0Gerrit Cole<\/a>, Wade Miley<\/a>, Collin McHugh<\/a>, and Brad Peacock<\/a>, who was just announced as the fifth man in the rotation for opening day.<\/p>\n

Verlander told the media last month<\/a> about what he has experienced in his time with Houston so far.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe city, the fans, my teammates, the organization from top to bottom — from Mr. Crane all the way down to the locker room — stuff has made my transition easy and joyful,\u201d Verlander said. \u201cI felt accepted right away, and I really enjoyed my time here. That\u2019s a testament to all those people.\u201d<\/p>\n

During the 2018 season, Verlander complied a 16-9 record with an ERA of 2.52. The 36-year old started in all 34 games in which he appeared. In those starts, Verlander struck out 290 batters in 214.0 innings pitched and had a WHIP of 0.90.<\/p>\n

“Clutch City”… How about “Rich City”?<\/h3>\n

That is now just under $200 million that the Astros have spent in extensions this offseason. In addition to Verlander’s deal, they gave a $100 million extension to star 3B Alex Bregman<\/a> and a two-year contract extension to RHP\u00a0Ryan Pressly<\/a> for $17.5 million starting next season, with a $10 million vesting option for 2021.<\/p>\n

In total, that is $183.5 million, potentially $193.5 million, that Houston has just spent through contract extensions that will last all the way to 2023.<\/p>\n

Verlander will get the ball to open the 2019 regular season for Houston when they face the Tampa Bay Rays on March 28th at Tropicana Field.<\/p>\n

Embed from Getty Images<\/a>