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It appears that former New York Mets pitcher Justin Verlander has rubbed some of his teammates in the Big Apple the wrong way.
Verlander is a “diva,” an unknown Mets player told Mike Puma on New York Postand he “often complained about the Mets’ analytics department, which he considered inferior to the one that served him in Houston.”
The anonymous player also told Puma that Verlander was “mostly isolated from teammates” and “didn’t add to the team’s identity.”
Verlander and Max Scherzer, who had a rocky relationship as teammates with the Detroit Tigers from 2010-14, also had issues with their relationship in New York despite trying to work on their relationship, according to Cougar.
Verlander’s “diva” attitude is said to have caused Scherzer to complain about the three-time Cy Young winner, per Puma.
The Mets signed Verlander to a two-year, $86.7 million contract before the 2023 season hoping he and Scherzer could lead a rotation that includes Kodai Senga, José Quintana and Carlos Carrasco.
But as the team fell out of playoff contention in the National League East, it became apparent that the Mets needed to make some changes, and the franchise traded Verlander to the Houston Astros and Scherzer to the Texas Rangers before the August 1 deadline.
Aside from the reported drama between the two, Verlander and Scherzer have failed to live up to expectations this season.
Verlander made 16 starts for the Mets before being traded, posting a 6-5 record, 3.15 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 81 strikeouts in 94.1 innings. Scherzer, meanwhile, has made 19 starts in New York this year, going 9-4 with a 4.01 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 121 strikeouts in 107.2 innings.
With the Mets boasting the highest payroll in baseball entering the 2023 season, the club’s failures are a major disappointment as it was widely expected to contend for a title this year.
New York is currently on pace to miss the postseason for the fourth time in the last five seasons, sitting fourth in the NL East with a 52-65 record.
With the 2023 campaign considered a lost cause for Steve Cohen’s squad, all eyes are on the franchise as it looks to build a stronger roster heading into 2024.
