Astros Acquire RHP Justin Verlander from New York (NL)

HOUSTON, TX - The Houston Astros have acquired three-time Cy Young Award winner RHP Justin Verlander and cash considerations from the New York Mets in exchange for minor league OFs Drew Gilbert and Ryan Clifford. The announcement was made by Astros General Manager Dana Brown.

Verlander, 40, returns to the Astros after a six-year stint with the club from 2017-22. During those six seasons, he went 61-19 with a 2.26 ERA (164ER/652IP) with 825 strikeouts, a 0.83 WHIP and a .184 opponent batting average in 102 starts. Verlander earned numerous accolades while he was a member of the Astros, including two American League Cy Young Awards, three All-Star Game selections, ALCS MVP in 2017 and two World Series Championships. In his Astros postseason career, Verlander went 9-6 with a 3.87 ERA (47ER/109.1IP) in 19 games (18 starts) including a complete game in the 2017 ALCS against the Yankees.

Verlander signed a two-year contract with the Mets this offseason and has gone 6-5 with a 3.15 ERA (33ER/94.1IP) in 16 starts this season. Over his last seven starts, Verlander went 4-1 with a 1.49 ERA (7ER/42.IP) and a .178 opponent batting average (27x152). Throughout his 17-year career, Verlander has won three Cy Young Awards, two ERA titles, one American League MVP and has been selected to nine All-Star Games.

Gilbert, 22, was selected by the Astros in the first round (28th overall) of the 2022 MLB First-Year Player Draft from the University of Tennessee. In his first full season in the Astros system, he's spent time with Double A Corpus Christi (60g) and High A Asheville (21g) and has hit a combined .274 (85x310) with 12 home runs and 38 RBI.

Clifford, 20, was selected by the Astros in the 11th round of the 2022 MLB First-Year Player Draft from Crossroads Flex H.S. (North Carolina). He has appeared with both High A Asheville (58g) and Low A Fayetteville (25g) this season, hitting a combined .291 (89x306) with 18 home runs and 61 RBI this season.

To make room for Verlander on the 40-man roster, the Astros designated IF Joe Perez for assignment.