Justin Verlander has triggered a conditional $25 million player option in his contract with the Houston Astros.
Verlander did so by crossing the 130-inning threshold in last Thursday\'s start against the Cleveland Guardians.
\"I wasn\'t pitching to get to 130 innings,\" he said. \"When we were doing the contract, [Astros owner] Jim [Crane] told me they wanted 130 innings for my player option. I was asking for a straight player option and they said they\'d like 130 innings, and that was that. I thought that was a very fair number the way I like to pitch.\"
Verlander, 39, will now have the choice to return to the Astros for $25 million or to decline and test free agency. He has a 1.73 ERA this season.