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The Houston Astros made headlines at the MLB trade deadline by bringing back a familiar face. They pulled off a big trade with the Minnesota Twins to reunite with shortstop Carlos Correa. The Astros agreed to take on $70 million over three years of his contract. In return, they gave up just minor league pitcher Matt Mikulski. It was a move that excited fans and brought back memories of Correa’s glory days with Houston.
But while they welcomed back Correa, they said no to another reunion that many were expecting. According to Bob Nightengale from USA Today, the Astros had a chance to bring Justin Verlander back for a third time. But they decided not to go down that road again.
Verlander first came to Houston in 2017 in a major trade with the Detroit Tigers. He played a huge role in their success and even returned to the team after a short stint with the Mets. In 2022, he had a dominant season, winning the Cy Young Award with an MLB-best 1.75 ERA.
This year, though, things have been very different. Verlander joined the San Francisco Giants and has struggled. He has a 4.53 ERA and a rough 1-8 win-loss record. He didn’t even get his first win until late July, which is a major drop-off from what the Astros were used to seeing from him.
Despite needing help in their starting rotation, the Astros chose not to trade for him again. Nightengale reports they passed on the idea, even with their history of success together. Instead, they focused on the future and settled for just the Correa deal. A possible reunion with former reliever Ryan Pressly is still being considered, but Verlander’s return is officially off the table. At 42 years old, and with a tough season behind him, it seems the Astros are moving on.