HOUSTON (AP) — Justin Verlander has agreed to a $25 million, one-year contract with the Houston Astros.
Verlander played just one game in the past two seasons after injuring his elbow in the 2020 season opener and undergoing Tommy John surgery in October of last year. The contract includes a conditional $25 million player option for a second season.
In other baseball news:
— First baseman Brandon Belt has accepted an $18.4 million qualifying offer from San Francisco rather than pursue bidders as a free agent. Belt was the only one to accept among the 14 free agents who received the offers from their former clubs on Nov. 7. Among those to turn down offers were first baseman Freddie Freeman of Atlanta, shortstop Carlos Correa of Houston, Robbie Ray and infielder Marcus Semien of Toronto, Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager and Mets outfielder Michael Conforto.
— The Cleveland Indians will officially transition to Guardians on Friday, completing a name change that has been occurring in stages over the past few months. The team sent out a release saying its team shop at Progressive Field will begin selling Guardians merchandise and souvenirs later this week.
— The Seattle Mariners will induct Ichiro Suzuki into the team’s Hall of Fame during the 2022 season. Suzuki will be honored on Aug. 27 when Seattle faces Cleveland. Suzuki spent parts of 14 seasons with the Mariners before retiring in March 2019 after Seattle opened the season with games in his home country of Japan.
— A person familiar with the negotiations says the New York Mets are close to completing a deal to hire Billy Eppler as general manager. Eppler was fired as general manager of the Los Angeles Angels a little more than a year ago after five losing seasons. He would become the Mets’ fifth head of baseball operations in 13 months.
