Verlander a free agent after opting out of Astros deal

HOUSTON -- Astros pitcher Justin Verlander on Thursday declined his $25 million option with the Astros for next season, making him a free agent at age 39. Verlander had a player option for 2023 that triggered when he surpassed 130 innings pitched in the regular season.

Verlander, coming off one of the best campaigns of his career, will hit the free-agent market for the second year in a row. Last year, Astros owner Jim Crane signed Verlander to a one-year, $25 million deal (with an option) after he missed the entire 2021 season following Tommy John surgery. It turned out to be a bargain.

Verlander went 18-4 with a 1.75 ERA in 28 starts for the World Series champions, leading the American League in wins, ERA, WHIP (0.83), opponents’ OPS (.497), opponents’ batting average (.186) and hits per nine innings (5.97). His 1.75 ERA was the lowest by an AL pitcher since Pedro Martinez (1.74) in 2000. Verlander is expected to win his third career AL Cy Young Award next week.

Crane said Wednesday that he wants to bring Verlander back next year. The right-hander, who will turn 40 in February, is ineligible for a qualifying offer (one year, $19.65 million for 2023) because he was offered one last year, turning it down.

“Justin really had a great year,” Crane said. “We have a good relationship with him, [manager] Dusty [Baker] and I and [general manager] James [Click]. I think we have [until] about four o'clock [Thursday] to talk to him. We've been talking to him and we're working on it. We're gonna do our best to try to keep him.”

Teams can negotiate with their own free agents exclusively until Thursday, at which time they are free to sign with any team. The Astros now have nine free agents: first baseman Yuli Gurriel, outfielder Michael Brantley, catchers Christian Vazquez, Jason Castro, infielder/outfielders Aledmys Díaz and Trey Mancini and pitchers Rafael Montero, Will Smith and Verlander.

Even if the Astros don’t re-sign Verlander, their rotation will be stout next year with Lance McCullers Jr., Framber Valdez, Cristian Javier, José Urquidy and Luis Garcia returning, along with top pitching prospect Hunter Brown, who made his debut this year.

If the Astros are going to spend any money in free agency beyond Verlander, it will be to beef up their offense.

“We’ll move fast and we’ll try to add a little depth and a little more pop, maybe a bat or two,” Crane said Wednesday.