Justin Verlander is reportedly returning to the Houston Astros.
His brother Ben, who's an analyst for Fox Sports, confirmed the veteran starting pitcher agreed to a deal with the Astros on Wednesday.
The move comes after he declined a qualifying offer, which would've paid him $18.4 million. According to Mark Berman of Fox 26 in Houston, he'll instead receive $25 million for one year.
Verlander, 38, missed the entirety of the 2021 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. That the long-time ace is returning to Houston doesn't come as much of a surprise, though, after team owner Jim Crane essentially confirmed the team was interested in bringing him back in October:
The eight-time champion, two-time Cy Young Award winner, one-time MVP, one-time champion and future Hall of Famer hadn't shown too many signs of slowing down before his season-ending surgery, going 21-6 with a 2.