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Coming off arguably his best season yet, the Mets signed 39-year-old Justin Verlander to a two-year contract that, according to a source, is worth $86.7 million and includes a $35 million vesting option for 2025.

On the surface, it’s not hard to justify those numbers. Verlander just went 18-4 with a 1.75 ERA over 27 starts for the World Series champion Astros in 2022, winning the AL Cy Young Award — his third career honor — in unanimous fashion and finishing 10th in AL MVP voting.

But what can the Mets expect from Verlander, who will play the entirety of his two-year deal after turning 40 years old in February? Though rare, it’s not unprecedented for a big league pitcher to continue his dominance well into his 40s — and even continue winning Cy Young Awards.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at the five best single-season performances by pitchers during the Expansion Era (since 1961) after turning 40 years old.

Not only did Aaron Judge deny Shohei Ohtani of back-to-back MVP Awards, but he denied him of a home run this year. Check out that catch along with the rest of 2022’s most spectacular home run thefts.

Today is the 17-year anniversary of Julio Franco signing a two-year contract with the Mets — at age 47! Here is how the ageless wonder defied time and played until he was a grandpa.

What were the best games of the season? Find out on MLB Network Countdown at 2:30 p.m. ET.

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