Verlander: Cohen persuaded him Mets are building a winner
By RONALD BLUM
AP Baseball Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Justin Verlander says owner Steve Cohen and his willingness to spend his hedge-fund fortune on building a World Series-contender is the reason he joined the New York Mets. The team introduced Verlander at a news conference on Tuesday. Verlander agreed to a $86.7 million, two-year contract on Dec. 5. It’s part of an offseason spending spree in which the Mets have committed $476.7 million on seven free agents and added starting pitchers Kodei Senga and José Quintana. Verlander turns 40 in February and will take Jacob deGrom’s spot in the rotation.