Tigers signed RHP Justin Verlander to a five-year, $80 million contract.
The new deal buys out his final two years of arbitration and his first three years of free agency. Consistent with the competitive spirit of Verlander, his contract beats out the five-year, $78 million deal the Mariners gave Felix Hernandez last month. It's hard to argue against him. Verlander, who turns 27 later this month, has quickly emerged as one of the game's top workhorses, leading the American League with 240 innings pitched, 269 strikeouts and 19 wins last season. He has logged at least 200 innings in each of the last three seasons and is just tapping into his considerable potential. The term "ace" is thrown around pretty liberally, but Verlander has shown that he can be a true leader of a staff, even at a young age. |