(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Justin Verlander may currently be on the injured list with a teres major strain, but that doesn’t mean that the New York Mets aren’t happy to have him around.
The veteran right-hander and reigning American League Cy Young Award winner was signed to a two-year, $86 million deal this past offseason after guiding the Houston Astros to their second World Series title.
And though he’s currently on the injured list, he got a hero’s welcome as he was introduced at the Mets home opener at Citi Field.
MLB on FOX tweeted a video of Verlander’s welcome at Citi Field on Friday.
Justin Verlander receives a warm welcome to Queens at the Mets home opener
(via @SNYtv)pic.twitter.com/GQvz7DwFQw
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) April 7, 2023
As the crowd gave him a warm hand, the three-time Cy Young and two-time World Series champion waved to the fans as he donned a home Mets uniform for the first time in his career.
He won 18 games in 2022 and posted a 1.84 ERA with the Astros.
Upon his return, he’ll share a rotation with his old friend from the Detroit Tigers in Max Scherzer.
The future Hall-of-Famer will also have Kodai Senga, Jose Quintana, and Carlos Carrasco once the rotation is at full strength again.
For now, he’ll enjoy a hero’s welcome at Citi Field.
But soon he’ll be back and will be ready to make his official Mets debut.
The 40-year-old was the biggest addition the Mets made over the winter during owner Steve Cohen’s spending spree.
Baseball is officially back in Queens and Verlander is now set to begin the next chapter of his Hall of Fame career.
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