Judge looms; Verlander, Turner deals heat up winter meetings

By JAY COHEN
AP Baseball Writer

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Justin Verlander is going to the New York Mets. Trea Turner has agreed to a blockbuster deal with the Philadelphia Phillies. Baseball’s first winter meetings since 2019 kicked into high gear when Verlander agreed to an $86.7 million, two-year deal with New York, and Turner joined Philadelphia for a $300 million, 11-year contract. Clayton Kershaw also returned to the Los Angeles Dodgers on a $20 million, one-year deal. The biggest outstanding question at the end of an impactful day at a downtown San Diego hotel centered on the status of MVP Aaron Judge, who remains a free agent after setting the AL home run record and powering the Yankees to a division title.