On Sunday, the Houston Astros announced they have finalized a two-year extension with ace pitcher Justin Verlander. General Manager Jeff Luhnow announced the deal, saying: "Justin Verlander is one of the elite pitchers in baseball. His late-season arrival in 2017 helped the Astros deliver its first ever championship to the city of Houston. Our fans share in my excitement that Justin will be in an Astros uniform for at least three more years."
Verlander, 36, went 16-9 with a 2.52 ERA and an American League-leading 290 strikeouts in 34 starts last season. Last season, the 2011 AL Cy Young winner finished second for the third time in voting for that award and was part of the top five for the seventh time. He also was the league Most Valuable Player in 2011.
The extension adds two years and $66 million to Verlander's current deal, which had one year remaining. It makes Verlander the highest-paid pitcher in terms of annual average value ($33 million).
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