Two-time World Series champion Justin Verlander returned to the Houston Astros on Tuesday, the 40-year-old righthander being moved by the New York Mets at Tuesday's Major League Baseball trade deadline.
Astros minor-league outfielders Drew Gilbert and Ryan Clifford went to the Mets in exchange for Verlander and from $32 to $54 million toward Verlander's salary, depending on his performance this year and next.
Verlander pitched the Astros to titles in 2017 and last year and claimed American League Cy Young Awards as top pitcher in 2011, 2019 and last year before signing with the Mets last December.
After posting a social media message confirming the trade, the Astros posted a photo of Verlander with the tagline: "Back where he belongs."
The move of Verlander was the most highly anticipated shift at the MLB trade deadline after the Los Angeles Angels said they were not parting ways with Japanese star Shohei Ohtani.
The Mets had signed Verlander and fellow pitcher Max Scherzer to two-year deals worth $86 million each with hopes of building a title contender in 2023.
But the Mets are 50-55 and 17.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves in the National League East division, well out of the playoff picture with two months remaining in the campaign.
The Mets began their moves by unloading Scherzer to the Texas Rangers on Saturday for a minor-league prospect.
The Rangers lead the AL West division at 60-46 with Houston just behind at 60-47, meaning Verlander and Scherzer, briefly teammates, will be ace pitchers to rivals battling for playoff positions over the final weeks of the season.
Verlander has a 1.49 earned-run average over his past seven starts after an early season injury kept him out or struggling to find top form over the first half of the campaign.
Verlander, who was sought by the Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers among others, had a no-trade clause in his contract allowing him to decide his fate.
The trade reunites the Astros with one of baseball's most tested playoff pitchers, who began in the major leagues from 2005-2017 with Detroit, taking the 2011 Cy Young and AL Most Valuable Player awards with the Tigers.
After a 2017 trade to Houston at the deadline, Verlander sparkled in the Astros' playoff run to the World Series title and last year went 18-4 with an 1.75 ERA during the season before powering the Astros over Philadelphia in six games for the World Series crown.
Verlander is 16-11 in playoff results with a 3.64 ERA and an MLB-record 230 strikeouts.
The Astros needed help on the mound with season-ending injuries to pitchers Luis Garcia and Lance McCullers and shoulder inflammation sidelining Jose Urquidy for three months ahead of his expected return this week.
- 'E-Rod' says no to LA -
One of the day's biggest deals was one that didn't get done as multiple reports said Detroit left-handed pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez rejected a deal that would have sent him to the Dodgers.
The 30-year-old Venezuelan southpaw known as "E-Rod" had a 10-team no-trade clause and would not drop it to allow a deal to Los Angeles.
The Toronto Blue Jays obtained shortstop Paul Dejong from St. Louis only hours after a right knee injury to Toronto shortstop Bo Bichette in a game against Baltimore.
The Blue Jays, who sent minor-league relief pitcher Matt Swanson to the Cardinals in exchange, had earlier made trades with St. Louis to land relievers Jordan Hicks and Genesis Cabrera.
San Diego obtained South Korean first baseman Choi Ji-man and pitcher Rich Hill from Pittsburgh for first baseman Alfonso Rivas and two minor-league prospects.
Atlanta acquired left-handed reliever Brad Hand from Colorado for minor-league pitcher Alec Barger while Philadelphia obtained right-handed pitcher Michael Lorenzen from Detroit for infield prospect Lee Hao-yu from Taiwan.
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