Report: Blue Jays Showed "a Lot of Interest' in Free Agent Justin Verlander

The Blue Jays were a leading contender to sign Justin Verlander this offseason, the starter told ESPN's Jeff Passan.

The Blue Jays added two free agent starting pitchers this winter, inking Yusei Kikuchi and Kevin Gausman to multi-year deals. But, they almost signed another top starter.

The Blue Jays were one of the best offers for free agent SP Justin Verlander, the righty told ESPN's Jeff Passan. The Jays had "the same offer" that Verlander ultimately returned to Houston on, he said, which was a one-year $25 million deal, with a player option for 2023 at the same amount.

"Some other teams really started to show a lot of interest," Verlander said. "I would say that the leader was probably Toronto. They were great. And I talked to George [Springer] a bunch. They were very proactive to the point that when I signed with Houston, I made sure to let them know that I appreciated it all."

Coming off Tommy John surgery with limited innings over the last two years, Verlander ultimately returned to Houston. The veteran weighed similar offers from the Jays and Astros, with the Yankees "kind of always just a step behind," he told Passan.

Since signing his new deal in Houston, Verlander has been one of the best pitchers in baseball. The 39-year-old has a 1.94 ERA in 78.2 innings, leading the American League in WHIP and hits per nine.

It's unclear how a Verlander signing would've impacted the rest of Toronto's offseason. The veteran agreed to terms on the new deal just before the MLB lockout began, around the same time Gausman signed in Toronto and months before they landed Kikuchi.

With Kikuchi and Gausman joining Alek Manoah, José Berríos, Ross Stripling, and the now-injured Hyun Jin Ryu, Toronto's rotation has been one of the better units in MLB in 2022. With a 3.79 ERA from starters, Toronto's rotation ranks sixth in baseball, just behind Verlander's Astros.