Houston Astros Ace Opts Out; Becomes Free Agent

Without much surprise, superstar pitcher Justin Verlander has opted out of his contract with the Houston Astros. As a result, he is hitting the free-agent market.

Verlander is set to get PAID this offseason after a truly spectacular season. In his age-39 season, Verlander put together an 18-4 record to go along with a ridiculous 1.75 ERA. After a year like this, he will earn himself much more than the $25 million player option he could have accepted.

With the Astros winning the World Series and Verlander clearly loving Houston, it seems more likely than not that they will work something out. Owner Jim Crane has made it known that bringing Verlander back is his number one priority, so let's keep our eyes out for a new deal.