AP source: Astros agree to 2-year extension with Verlander
Justin Verlander and the Houston Astros are going to continue their successful partnership for a while longer.
Verlander and the Astros have agreed to a contract adding an additional $66 million in guaranteed money for 2020 and '21, a person with direct knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press.
The person spoke Saturday on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced. The agreement was first reported by KRIV-FOX 26.
A 36-year-old right-hander, Verlander is due $28 million in 2019, the final guaranteed season of a $180 million, seven-year deal he signed with Detroit before the 2013 season. That contract included a $22 million option for 2020 that would have become guaranteed if Verlander finished among the top five in Cy Young Award voting this year.
Verlander was traded from Detroit to Houston on Aug. 31, 2017, and helped the Astros win their first World Series that season. The 2011 AL MVP and Cy Young Award winner, he finished second in Cy Young voting last season after going 16-9 with a 2.52 ERA in 34 starts. He pitched 214 innings and led the AL with 290 strikeouts.
The seven-time All-Star, entering his 15th season, spent his entire big league career with the Tigers before the 2017 trade. In his MVP season, Verlander won a career-high 24 games and had a career-low 2.40 ERA, which led the AL. He pitched 251 innings and struck out 250 batters that season, which were both the most in the AL.
Verlander takes great pride in his durability and has pitched more than 200 innings in 11 seasons, leading the AL in three of those years.
Verlander celebrated by striking out nine during four innings of two-hit ball in a 5-0 win over Miami. Roberto Osuna, Hector Rondon and Ryan Pressley followed with a hitless inning each, and Jose Altuve hit his first homer of the spring.
MORE FROM AROUND SPRING TRAINING
METS 12, BRAVES 2
NL Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom tossed three perfect innings in his final spring start for New York. Amed Rosario drove in three runs and scored three times, and top prospect Pete Alonso had an RBI double and two singles.
Atlanta rookie Touki Toussaint entered in the fourth inning and retired just five batters, allowing seven runs — six earned — and six hits. Ronald Acuna Jr. hit his fourth home run.
Washington ace Stephen Strasburg struck out nine in 5 2/3 innings, but allowed three earned runs and eight hits. Strasburg gave up a two-run homer to pitcher Miles Mikolas.
Anthony Rendon and Matt Adams each hit a solo drive for the Nationals.
Mikolas, St. Louis' opening-day starter, allowed four runs in three innings, raising his ERA to 6.23. Tyler O'Neill had a double and three singles.
Pittsburgh's Corey Dickerson hit a two-run homer run and doubled. Francisco Cervelli drove in a run with his first double. Jordan Lyles started, yielding three runs in five innings.
Philadelphia right-hander Zach Eflin allowed four runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings. Eflin also had a two-run single.
RED SOX 12, PIRATES (SS) 3
Boston ace Chris Sale pitched five scoreless innings in his first start since finalizing a new contract that guarantees an additional $145 million from 2020 to 2024. The wiry left-hander allowed two hits, struck out six and walked one.
Jameson Taillon started for Pittsburgh's split squad, allowing four runs and eight hits in four innings. Top prospect Ke'Bryan Hayes hit his third home run — a three-run shot.
Detroit slugger Miguel Cabrera hit a solo drive for his fourth homer. Cameron Rupp lined a game-ending, two-run double to right in the ninth.
Tigers right-hander Jordan Zimmermann pitched four innings and was charged with three runs and five hits.
Tampa Bay's Charlie Morton allowed four unearned runs in two innings. Ji-Man Choi had a solo homer and RBI double. Tommy Pham added his first homer — a two-run shot.
Toronto's Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit his fourth homer — a two-run shot — doubled and singled.
Gleyber Torres hit a three-run drive for New York. Miguel Andujar doubled and scored. Opening-day starter Masahiro Tanaka pitched two scoreless innings in his final tuneup, allowing one hit.
Kevin Plawecki had three hits and four RBIs for Cleveland, including his first spring homer. Carlos Santana had three singles and drove in a run. Trevor Bauer allowed five runs in 6 2/3 innings.
Jose Iglesias and Jesse Winker homered twice for Cincinnati. Winker finished with three RBIs.
The Reds announced that All-Star second baseman Scooter Gennett has a right groin strain and is expected to miss eight to 12 weeks. Manager David Bell will move Jose Peraza to second during Gennett's absence and Iglesias will start at shortstop. The Reds also are calling up catcher/infielder Kyle Farmer, who was one of Friday's roster cuts.
Wil Myers homered, drove in two runs and scored three times for San Diego. Franchy Cordero and Ian Kinsler also connected, and Manny Machado had two hits and scored twice.
Padres lefty Joey Lucchesi pitched five innings of two-run ball.
Justin Bour hit a two-run homer for Los Angeles. Closer Cody Allen worked the fourth inning, allowing three runs and three hits.
Ben Gamel hit a two-run homer for Milwaukee's split-squad, and Jesus Aguilar had an RBI double.
Mike Minor started for Texas, pitching five innings and allowing four runs and seven hits.
Texas reliever Jason Hammel announced he will retire to spend more time with his family, one day after the Rangers informed him he had made their opening-day roster. The departure of the 13-year veteran means right-hander Jeanmar Gomez will break camp with the team.
ROYALS 6, BREWERS (SS) 4
NL MVP Christian Yelich and Travis Shaw each hit a two-run homer for the Brewers.
Lucas Duda hit a solo drive in his first game since signing a minor league deal with Kansas City. Hunter Dozier also went deep. Brad Keller yielded four runs in 4 2/3 innings.
Eloy Jimenez celebrated his new contract with three hits for Chicago, including a solo homer. Jimenez, one of baseball's top prospects, finalized a $43 million, six-year deal with the White Sox on Friday, nearly double the amount of the previous high for a player under club control yet to make his major league debut.
Yoan Moncada also connected for Chicago, and Manny Banuelos pitched five effective innings.
Chris Taylor hit a solo homer for Los Angeles.
GIANTS 3, DIAMONDBACKS 2
Joe Panik hit a two-run single and Alen Hanson added a solo home run for San Francisco. Derek Holland started, pitching four innings and giving up two runs and six hits.
Robbie Ray struck out 11 in 5 /3 innings in his final tuneup for Arizona. He was charged with two runs and five hits.
San Francisco released Cameron Maybin after the veteran outfielder hit just .163 in 43 at-bats and was arrested earlier this month on a DUI charge. The Giants also announced they had acquired outfielder Mike Yastrzemski, the grandson of Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski, from the Orioles for right-hander Tyler Herb in a minor league deal.
Max Kepler homered and drove in three, and Jonathan Schoop had three hits for Minnesota. Jason Castro also went deep, and Jose Berrios struck out six in 4 2/3 innings, allowing three runs and four hits.
Alex Cobb pitched an inning for Baltimore before exiting with right groin soreness. Cobb was recently tabbed the team's opening day starter, but it's unclear if he'll be ready to go by Thursday. Chris Davis hit his second homer of the spring, lifting his average to .156.
Nolan Arenado had two doubles and three hits, David Dahl also had three hits and Ryan McMahon drove in three for Colorado. Kyle Freeland pitched six innings in his final spring tune-up, allowing three runs and six hits.
Javier Baez hit a long homer for Chicago, getting two hits to raise his spring average to .333. Anthony Rizzo also had two hits. Jon Lester allowed six runs in four innings in his final start of the spring.
Cubs manager Joe Maddon announced before the game that versatile youngster Ian Happ had been optioned to the minor leagues. Happ is batting .135 with a .389 OPS this spring.
