Justin Verlander reportedly 'blown away' by Mets' commitment to winning

Three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander has explained why he is signing with the New York Mets in free agency. 

"I just talked to Justin, he is so pumped up," Ben Verlander, Justin's brother, said Monday on his "Flippin’ Bats" podcast, according to Alex Smith of SNY. "The first thing to me after talking to Justin is just how happy he is – relieved, excited, pumped up. It was very, very obvious from the second he called, the smile on his face." 

Ben added that Justin was "blown away" by the Mets' "commitment to winning." 

Ben made his comments after ESPN's Jeff Passan reported that Justin Verlander agreed to a two-year, $86 million deal with the Mets that includes a vesting third-year option said to be worth $35 million. The right-hander won his third career Cy Young Award this past season but turns 40 years old in February. 

His immediate task with the Mets will be to serve as an adequate replacement for Jacob deGrom, who signed a five-year deal with the Texas Rangers ahead of the weekend. 

"He said that the direction that this franchise has been heading for the last few years has been something that he’s taken notice of very clearly," Ben remarked about Justin. Ben also noted that Justin was assured Monday's development "isn’t the end for the Mets" as it pertains to offseason moves. 

The Mets went 101-61 for the 2022 regular season but also squandered a 10.5-game lead over the Atlanta Braves in the National League East division standings that New York held on June 1. Last month, big-name agent Scott Boras said that Mets owner Steve Cohen "really raised the flag that 'we're here to be a championship-level organization'" by signing ace Max Scherzer roughly one year ago.