The Mets and Astros had to break out their calculators to finalize the financial details of Tuesday’s blockbuster trade that sent Justin Verlander back to Houston.
Astros owner Jim Crane said he believes the amount of money Mets owner Steve Cohen sent to Houston to complete the deal represented an “unprecedented” action in MLB history.
“I don’t think anybody’s ever seen anything like this,” Crane said Tuesday. “It’s an unprecedented amount of money they left on the table and we filled the gap. I can see why Mr. Cohen probably thought it made sense that if he was going to go, he was going to go all-in. It came together fairly quick.
“I think what held it up a little bit was not the money, it was the prospects.”
The Mets used Cohen’s wallet to help facilitate the Verlander and Max Scherzer trades, essentially buying prospects by paying down the former Cy Young winners’ contracts.
To land highly regarded Houston outfield prospects Drew Gilbert and Ryan Clifford, the Mets agreed to send either $35 million or $52.5 million to Houston.
Verlander signed a two-year, $86.6 million deal this offseason with the Mets and has a $35 million vesting option for 2024 if he throws at least 140 innings next season.
Verlander will be 41 next season but should clear 140 innings, provided he’s healthy.
The righty is 6-5 with a 3.15 ERA spanning 16 starts and 94 innings.
Houston wanted to keep Verlander this offseason, but not at that price.
“We were sad to lose him,” Crane said. “What he got offered up there was certainly a lot more than we were willing to pay. When the team started coming apart, it became clear he might be on the board.”
The three-time Cy Young winner is still owed roughly $58 million for the remainder of this season plus 2024.
The Mets are paying the Astros $35 million through next season, according to The Post’s Jon Heyman.
The option will be split between the teams – $17.5 million each – if the option vests.
If the option triggers, the Mets will approximately pay 56 percent of Verlander’s contract for him to play for another team. If the option doesn’t trigger, it’s roughly 60 percent.
The Mets sent the Rangers $36 million to land prospect Luisangel Acuna for Scherzer, who went 9-4 with a 4.01 ERA spanning 19 starts with the Mets this year.
Crane said the Mets’ willingness to eat so much money to trade Scherzer to the Rangers inspired them to reach out and see if Cohen would do the same for Verlander.
“There was a lot of money on the table. I think (Astros general manager) Dana Brown came running into my office when Scherzer was traded, what was reported on what they had given up,” Crane said. “We started penciling that and it made sense to make the call.”
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