There hasn’t been a lot going on with the Red Sox since they were eliminated in six games by the Astros in the ALCS. It’s been slow, not going to lie there. J.D. Martinez is back in 2022, which is sort of cool. Other than that, not much has gone on. So forgive me for looking at something to entertain me when the Patriots/Celtics aren’t playing. (Disclaimer: I’m a Bruins fan, but don’t pay attention really until playoffs!) So I thought this was interesting. The Red Sox were in attendance for a workout by former Astros pitcher Justin Verlander. So that begs the question: should the Red Sox consider Justin Verlander for their rotation in 2022? Let’s examine this a bit more.
The Age
The age of Justin Verlander does concern me. 37 years old. He has some milage on him as far as experience is concerned. I wouldn’t want to give a 37 year old pitcher more than a one year deal. Some of these other teams might overpay for Verlander’s services. But with the Red Sox core being so young and looking toward the future, I think the age would take Chaim Bloom out of pursuing Verlander aggressively.
The Stuff
Reports has it that Verlander was still consistently in the mid-90’s with his fastball. This is a pretty encouraging sign. Keep in mind, Verlander has thrown only six innings since 2019. So he’s pretty fresh! If you’re 37 and still throwing that hard, a team is going to take a flyer on you. That seems to be the case with Verlander. If his breaking stuff is also still there and the command is there, that only plays into Verlander’s favor.
Justin Verlander vs. Eduardo Rodriguez
This decision could also depend on what happens with Eduardo Rodriguez. He’s a free agent and is already drawing interest from several other teams. Should the Red Sox let Rodriguez walk, maybe you pick up the phone on Verlander. Should the Red Sox somehow re-sign him, is there really any reason at that point to call Verlander? I know people might not believe this. But this particular situation could be a big factor in the Red Sox being a potential player for Verlander’s services.
In Conclusion
Would I take a flyer on Justin Verlander? Sure, if the price is right. But if it’s a multiyear deal, then I’ll pass. The core is good and we don’t want that messed with right now. Then again, it’d be cool to see Verlander as a Red Sox trying to win one more title in his career! But we’ll see what happens.
-Al Nahigian (@BigAl2793 on Twitter)
Featured image courtesy of nbcsports.com
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