The New York Mets are back to the drawing board after falling apart yet again in the 2022 season, this time in the National League Wild Card round. The Mets are rumored to be interested in signing some big names this offseason, and while they will likely focus on retaining some of their own free agents first, they could be sniffing around Justin Verlander to see whether or not he will end up leaving the Houston Astros.

Verlander is coming off one of the best seasons of his career, despite returning to the hill after what was basically a two-year absence from pitching. Verlander simply didn’t look like he had missed a beat, and will likely end up walking away from the season with the third Cy Young award of his historic career.

Fresh off his strong season, Verlander looks set to earn a big chunk of cash this offseason, and while the Astros may have the inside track to land him, that doesn’t mean other teams such as the Mets won’t make a push to sign him. With the Mets sticking out as a potential landing spot for Verlander, let’s take a look at three reasons why they would be a perfect fit for the ageless veteran.

3. The Mets already have a strong lineup to support Justin Verlander

Pitchers want to win their outings when they take the hill, but in order to win, you need run support. Verlander certainly has had that for long stretches of his career with the Astros and Detroit Tigers, and if he were to jump ship and join the Mets, the same thing would ring true here.

New York has a deep lineup that is among the best in baseball last season. Led by stars like Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor, the Mets powered their way through the 2022 season, and even though they flamed out in the Wild Card round, that shouldn’t really take away from just how strong of a hitting season the team had. And considering all the prospects they have that either reached the majors or will within the next season or two, they will likely only continue to get better.