Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images
*PREDICTION*
As the Winter Meetings get started in the baseball offseason, there are a few names on the free agent market that could be very interesting to watch. One of those is veteran pitcher Justin Verlander, who is determined to keep playing the game, even at his advanced age.
Verlander will be turning 43 by the time next season kicks off, but he has expressed a desire to keep going until age 45. And to his credit, he has continued to show that he can still produce at a high level on the mound.
The veteran ace spent this last season with the San Francisco Giants, throwing 152 innings of work, posting an ERA of 3.85, while striking out 137 batters. At this point in his career, Verlander is more of a backend starter, but he could provide any team with some real depth.
Verlander just knows how to pitch effectively, and he could be a steal for a team if he can remain healthy. The veteran will likely be looking for a two-year deal this time around, and there should be multiple teams that are interested in signing him.
Adding a former multi-time Cy Young award winner could bolster a starting rotation, even if Verlander isn’t the same level of player that he once was. Overall, Verlander could be a nice, cheaper option for teams who need pitching help, and he would get to keep his career going strong.
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Justin Verlander Will Join Arizona Diamondbacks
One team that could look to make a run at Verlander is the Arizona Diamondbacks, who desperately need to bring in multiple arms this winter. Arizona’s current starting rotation is in a state of major flux, and this could see the front office look to add this offseason.
The Diamondbacks are expected to lose Zac Gallen this offseason to free agency, and the team only has a few arms on the roster right now. Arizona will be getting ace Corbin Burnes back from injury at some point next season, but coming off surgery, the Diamondbacks can’t solely rely on him moving forward.
Verlander could offer this team a quality backend starter that can eat innings throughout the long season. Arizona needs something like this, and the team could then also go look to add another starter since Verlander wouldn’t break the bank to sign.
Adding Verlander to the mix would not only give this team some needed depth but also another veteran voice for the locker room. The Diamondbacks dealt with a ton of injuries this past season, all across the roster, but the team still almost clinched a playoff spot.
With a few tweaks to the team, Arizona could jump right back into a place of contention, and Verlander could help them. The veteran seems to care more about choosing the right fit, rather than only joining a contender, and the Diamondbacks could be the place for him.