I would be down for this............JV can be streaky, for good and bad but the dude is a HORSE and I would try and drain every last bit out of him at the right time
A fair number, although I'd still go 9 base, an extra 2 across easy bonuses (12 starts or 120 IP or 100 K?) with risers from there.
All things said about Verlander age & advanced numbers, had 3.85 ERA. If ranked on '25 Astros, woulda had the 3rd most starts & innings pitched by far. Basically the #3 starter, while the Costanza Alexanders & Brandon Walters overachieve bottom of rotation. Every year is much more risk that JV is done. Buts it's also like, Stros can't keep arms healthy anyway, who isn't a risk anymore
[Late but] In short - me admittedly not a deep baseball guy - I would pay Yankees/Dodgers rate to keep top 5-10 pitchers. If they're middle of rotation performing top 20'ish or near '98 Big Unit numbers, keep 'em. My one simplistic "justified sinking money" approach. (I was trying make "analysis" by saying what's the point of letting JV go, just to lose prospects to get him back anyway. But that's over-complicating it. This is who cares about payroll thinking) The point is just don't let them go in the first place and live with the excess cost
