With the San Francisco Giants in town this weekend, it gave those who knew Justin Verlander a little bit during his brief time with the New York Mets a chance to catch up. SNY’s Andy Martino is one of those people and he had some useful information about what Verlander had to say.
Verlander has pitched for the Houston Astros and Giants since leaving the Mets in the middle of the 2023 season. In a whole different way, he continues to pitch for New York.
Interviewed Justin Verlander today for Mets book, but a timely comment to share now is that he told then-teammate Tyler Rogers how much he was going to enjoy the Mets, how well they treat players and families. Word of mouth in the league now has Mets has a desired destination.
https://twitter.com/martinonyc/status/1951767466033455532?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1951767466033455532%7Ctwgr%5Ea7d8fd324700258a41c36381ba1e6ed22c468880%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Frisingapple.com%2Fny-mets-justin-verlander-still-pitching-different-way
The word “pitch” in this case has to do less with throwing a baseball and more to do with how someone might sell a pair set of knives.
Justin Verlander was the right person at the wrong time for the Mets after all
Verlander’s departure in the middle of 2023 was welcomed by fans only because of how clever the team operated. Steve Cohen paid his remaining salary for the season and a large chunk of the following year. In return, the Mets received two high-ranking prospects. Drew Gilbert has since been traded, ironically to the Giants in exchange for Tyler Roger. Ryan Clifford continues to loiter in Double-A, smashing home runs.
Unlike Max Scherzer who was the first to waive his no-trade clause to leave the Mets, Verlander parted in a way that fans received as classy. It was a strange time in 2023. The team was supposed to, at the very least, make the playoffs. They didn’t even give us a winning record.
Verlander’s now public further praise of the Mets organization to Rogers, and apparently the rest of the league, is a testament to people from Steve Cohen to Alex Cohen and all the way through the system to the ones who are equally as hands-on to make the players’ families feel welcomed. What was once an industry where fans figured winning mattered above all else has evolved into the same considerations we regular people want from a job.
Rogers had no choice but to come to the Mets. It doesn’t sound like he’s going to have a problem with that. Now somebody get him the biggest, baddest beer fridge they can find. Help this guy feel at home. We’re going to need him.
