According to Tom Gage at the Detroit News, Justin Verlander and the Detroit Tigers will soon announce that the right-hander has a agreed to a five-year $80 million extension. This agreement cancels the arbitration hearing that would’ve taken place this month.
Verlander is the only pitcher in baseball history to throw a no-hitter, start a World Series game, be named Rookie of the Year as well as an All Star, within his first two seasons. The Tiger ace will be 27 years-old entering this season. Negotiations started at $75 million. Verlander was rumored to want a sixth year attached to this deal. Both sides seem to have settled in the middle at $80 million. This is just a hint more than the five-year $78 million extension that Felix Hernandez recently inked with the Mariners.
VJ Says: When you look up the definition of ‘ace’ in the baseball almanac, you’ll be sure to find a picture of Justin Verlander. Talk about a guy nobody ever wants to face. According to Kenny Rogers, Verlander’s assortment of pitches “remind him only of Nolan Ryan.”
The Tigers roster is clearly enduring a shakeup this off-season. This signing is great for two reasons. Detroit has locked up their ace through the final two years of arbitration while buying out his first three of free agency. It shows good faith on both sides. Secondly, no matter what GM Dave Dombrowski does to the rest of this roster, the Tigers will always be the favorite to win every fifth day. Almost all championship caliber clubs have an ace of Verlander’s stature. If the Tigers are able to piece together some semblance of a playoff run, they have no doubt as to who will be on the mound for Game 1.
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