After losing Jacob deGrom to the Texas Rangers, the Mets had to make a quick and decisive pivot. They needed a pitcher with a considerable track record of success, who could be consistently healthy, and who could pair with Max Scherzer at the top of the Mets rotation for a devastating one-two pitching punch. And in the end, that road led to one name: Justin Verlander.
Verlander signed to a two-year, $86.66 million deal, with a vesting option for a third year. He slots right into the deGrom spot, and a two-time Cy Young winner gets replaced by a three-time Cy Young winner.