Justin Verlander Opens Up On Astros Trade, Mets’ Disappointing Season: 'Got Off On The Wrong Foot'

Justin Verlander was expected to help the New York Mets push towards World Series contention in the 2023 season.

During the offseason, Verlander was one of the signature acquisitions for Steve Cohen, signing a high dollar contract to anchor the Mets rotation. Except in early August, he's back where he started, pitching for the Astros in Houston.

So what exactly happened?

Even Verlander's not sure.

DETROIT, MI - MAY 04: Justin Verlander #35 of the New York Mets looks on from the dugout during the interleague game against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on May 4, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. The Tigers defeated the Mets 2-0. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

In his first public comments since the trade was completed, Verlander explained why he went to New York and what he expected to happen.

“If you could rewind the clock four or five months, I think the Mets had the -best odds to win the World Series before the season started,” he said on Thursday. “It wasn’t just a contractual thing, even though that obviously plays a part in it. It was something we looked at and said all right, let’s go try to win another championship.”

But after starting with realistically high hopes, Verlander believed they never really got going as a team, with a bit of a Murphy's law thrown in.

“We kind of got off on the wrong foot. Everything that could go wrong did early,” Verlander continued. “Even though we started playing some good baseball at times, we never really hit our stride where we were kind of banging on all cylinders. I can’t answer exactly why that is.”

Justin Verlander Happy To Be Back In Houston

Similarly to what Max Scherzer revealed about the Mets' future plans, Verlander also said he was told they weren't going to be in on major free agents this offseason.

READ: DID STEVE COHEN TAKE THE METS OUT OF THE SHOHEI OHTANI SWEEPSTAKES BEFORE THEY START?

“The direction I was told for next year was it wasn’t going to be the exact same M.O. as this season, which was to fill every gap that you need with a free agent,” he explained. “That didn’t work out, so why double down on that strategy?”

While that might be justifiable, it's not exactly what a 40-year-old pitcher wants to hear. And returning to Houston offers him a chance to compete this year AND next, something he wanted to close out his career.

Yet even after the disappointment in 2023, Verlander still had great things to say about the Mets.

“I don’t see how it could hurt them. It was just an unfortunate season where things didn’t go according to plan,” Verlander said. “I have nothing but the utmost respect for their organization and how they treat players. A-plus from top to bottom. Anybody that would ask me about that organization, if they had a decision to make, I would recommend their organization. Just because it didn’t work out on the field this year doesn’t mean that it won’t work out in the future.”

Just what every baseball fan wants to hear: there's always next year.