The Houston Astros have finally made their big trade deadline deal.
Justin Verlander was traded back to the Astros from the New York Mets on Tuesday. The Astros are sending back top prospect Drew Gilbert along with fellow minor leaguer Ryan Clifford. The Mets will also reportedly send the Astros $54 million to help pay for a large portion of Verlander’s contract.
The move comes as the Astros try to strengthen their rotation in a quest to win back-to-back World Series titles. Injuries to Lance McCullers Jr, Luis Garcia, and Jose Urquidy opened the door for a reunion between the Astros and their former ace.
Verlander was originally dealt to Houston in 2017 from the Detroit Tigers. He helped the Astros capture their first World Series title that season, and would stay for the next five seasons, ultimately helping with the second title last year.
During the off-season, the Astros were reportedly interested in resigning Verlander but were outbid by the New York Mets.
This season, Verlander has a 3.15 ERA over 16 starts for the Mets. His return will likely be welcomed by Astros fans, and should make his debut in the next week.