Baseball notes: Justin Verlander agrees to 2-year deal with Mets, report

Justin Verlander agreed to an $86.7 million, two-year contract with the New York Mets on Monday, reuniting the AL Cy Young Award winner with Max Scherzer and giving the team a high-profile replacement for Jacob deGrom.

The contract is worth $43,333,333 per season and includes a vesting player option for 2025 at $35 million, according to a person familiar with the negotiations who spoke to The Associated Press on Monday on condition of anonymity because there was no immediate announcement.

Verlander leaves World Series champion Houston to step in for deGrom, who left New York after nine seasons when he agreed to a $185 million, five-year contract with Texas last week. It also puts Verlander on the same team as Scherzer after they played together with the Detroit Tigers from 2010-14.

Depending on the final details, it appears Verlander's deal matches Scherzer's for baseball’s record for highest average annual salary. Scherzer finalized a $130 million, three-year deal with New York a year ago.

Verlander’s storied career was in question after he had Tommy John surgery in 2020. But he made an impressive return this season, becoming the 11th player to win the Cy Young Award at least three times.

The 39-year-old Verlander went 18-4 with a major league-low 1.75 ERA in 28 starts for the Astros. The right-hander also got his first career World Series win in Game 5 as Houston beat Philadelphia in six games.

Turner leaves Dodgers for Phillies, $300M

The Philadelphia Phillies landed Trea Turner on Monday, agreeing to a $300 million, 11-year contract with the dynamic shortstop.

The deal includes a no-trade clause, according to a person familiar with the negotiations who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because there was no immediate announcement.

Turner joins a Philadelphia team that made it to the World Series this year before losing to the Houston Astros. He also reunites with slugger Bryce Harper after the two played together with the Washington Nationals from 2015-18.

Turner was terrific in his first full season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, batting .298 with 21 homers and a career-high 100 RBIs for the 2022 NL West champions. He also swiped 27 bases and scored 101 runs.

The free agent market for the talented Turner likely was enhanced by bigger bases and restrictions on defensive positioning coming to the game next year — two changes that make Turner’s athleticism and defensive versatility even more valuable than before.

He turned down a $19.65 million qualifying offer from the Dodgers in November, joining a stellar group of free agent shortstops that also included Carlos Correa, Xander Bogaerts and Dansby Swanson.

Kershaw returning to Dodgers for year, $20M

Clayton Kershaw will pitch for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023 after re-signing in a $20 million, one-year deal.

For the second straight year, the Dodgers didn't extend a qualifying offer to the three-time Cy Young Award winner. Instead, they gave him additional time to mull his future, and he once again decided to stay with the only franchise he's ever played for during his 15-year major league career.

The deal includes a $5 million signing bonus payable on June 30, a salary of $15 million and a hotel suite on road trips.

The 34-year-old left-hander was 12-3 with 2.28 ERA in 22 starts last season. He struck out 137 and walked 23. Kershaw made his ninth All-Star team and started the Midsummer Classic for the first time in his career at Dodger Stadium.

Last April, he became the franchise's all-time strikeout leader with 2,697. He reached 2,800 strikeouts in his last start of the regular season on Oct. 5 against Colorado. Kershaw ranks 24th all-time with 2,807.

Kershaw has a career record of 197-87 with a 2.48 ERA. He won his only World Series title in 2020, when the Dodgers beat Tampa Bay during the pandemic-shortened season.

Cashman gets 4-year deal to stay with Yankees

Brian Cashman has signed a four-year contract to remain the New York Yankees Senior Vice President and General Manager. The announcement was made Monday during the first day of baseball's Winter Meetings.

Cashman, New York's GM since 1998, had been working on a handshake agreement since early November, when his five-year contract expired.

The Yankees were swept by four games in the AL Championship Series and haven’t reached the World Series since winning in 2009. It is the franchise’s longest title drought since an 18-year gap between 1978-96.

Cashman’s main goal during the offseason is trying to re-sign AL MVP Aaron Judge.

Judge hit an American League-record 62 homers this season with a .311 batting average and 131 RBIs. He turned down the Yankees’ offer on the eve of opening day of a seven-year contract that would have paid $213.5 million from 2023-29.

While Judge remains on the market, Cashman was able to re-sign Anthony Rizzo on Nov. 15 to a two-year contract worth $40 million after turning down a $16 million player option.

Cashman has been the Yankees general manager since 1998.