Justin Verlander rejects the option with the Astros and heads to free agency

The MLBPA announced that Justin VerlanderAnd the Michael GivensAnd the Tommy Fam s Jordan Lillis They were able to make their own voluntary decisions about their contracts and are now free agents.

Verlander opted to withdraw from the final year of his contract with the Houston Astros, which was due to pay him $25 million in 2023. The 39-year-old right-hander had one of the best seasons of his career in 2022, scoring 1.75 ERA and 0.83 WHIP . And he hit 185 strokes in 175 innings. 28+ starts for the Astros world champion. His vigorous campaign made him a finalist for the Cy Young Award, which will be announced Wednesday.

The decision to withdraw immediately makes Verlander one of the best pitchers of free agents.

Givens comes into the market after the Mets rejected its part of the cross option, a decision previously announced by Mets General Manager Billy Eppler. Givens will collect his $1.25 million release clause and head to free agency. New York acquired Givens on Deadline Trade from Cubs, who signed him for a one-year, $5 million deal in the Offseason. Givens had a solid first run with Chicago, scoring 2.26 ERAs in 40⅔ rounds, but struggled in Queens, scoring 4.79 ERAs in 20⅔ rounds for the Mets.

For Fam, the Red Sox rejected his stake in a $12 million mutual option for 2023, giving the outside player a $1.5 million release clause and sending him to free agency. The Boston fam brought in on the trade deadline, acquiring the 34-year-old defensive player from the Cincinnati Reds. In a 622 plate appearance between the Red Sox and the Reds, the Fam hit .236/.312/.374.

Lyles became a free agent after the Orioles turned down the $11 million right-club option for 2023, resulting in a $1 million buyout clause. Baltimore signed Lyles on a one-year, $7 million deal in 2022, and in 32 starts, the right-hander scored a 4.42 ERA with 144 strikes in 179 runs.