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Monday, news broke that 2022 AL Cy Young winner Justin Verlander was signing a free agent deal with the New York Mets. This means that he's joining former teammate Max Scherzer once again. Years ago, it was with the Tigers, and now it's with the Mets. Right off the top, this is the first time ever two pitchers on the same team are making over $40 million per season (they're both getting $43.33 million annually), but there's a lot more here with these two. 

They are among the most prolific teammates in history when we consider what is already on their resumes. 

Combined Cy Youngs: 6

Both Verlander (39 years old) and Scherzer (38 years old) have won three Cy Young Awards. Scherzer has already won a Cy Young in both leagues. The only others to do this are Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens, Pedro Martinez, Roy Halladay and Gaylord Perry. Verlander has a chance to join that exclusive club now. 

Verlander is already in this one: There are 11 pitchers in history with at least three Cy Youngs. The list is Clemens (7), Johnson (5), Greg Maddux (4), Steve Carlton (4), Verlander (3), Scherzer (3), Clayton Kershaw (3), Martinez (3), Jim Palmer (3), Tom Seaver (3) and Sandy Koufax (3). 

Carlton and Seaver were teammates for a few months on the 1986 White Sox, then Kershaw and Scherzer were on the 2021 Dodgers

This teaming of Verlander and Scherzer will presumably be the first time ever that multiple three-time Cy Young winners spent an entire season together. 

Combined strikeouts: 6,391

As things stand, only 19 pitchers in MLB history have reached 3,000 strikeouts. Zack Greinke (2,882) might run out of gas while Kershaw (2,807) might need two more seasons to get there. Those two rank third and fourth, respectively, in career strikeouts among active pitchers. The top two are Verlander and Scherzer. They are neck and neck, too! Their standing all-time: 

10. Maddux, 3,371
11. Phil Niekro, 3,342
12. Verlander, 3,198
13. Scherzer, 3,193
14. Fergie Jenkins, 3,192
15. Martinez, 3,154

It'll be a battle! 

Verlander has led the majors in strikeouts three times and his league five times. Scherzer has led the majors once and his league three times. 

Both have gotten to 300 strikeouts one time and it was, for each of them, exactly 300. 

Nolan Ryan has the most 200-plus strikeout seasons in his career with 15. Johnson has 13, Clemens has 12 and Seaver has 10. No one else has gotten to double digits, but both Scherzer and Verlander have gotten to 200 strikeouts nine times (so have Bob Gibson and Martinez). 

If we go for 250-strikeout seasons, both Scherzer and Verlander have five. Only Johnson (nine) and Ryan (eight) have more. 

Previous time as teammates: 5 seasons

This is the second stint together for Scherzer and Verlander. They were together for the 2010-14 Tigers. They each won a Cy Young during that time, with six combined All-Star appearances and a combined 169 wins. 

The pairing was a major success for the Tigers, as they went 81-81 in 2010 but then took the next four AL Central titles, a run that included the 2012 AL pennant and three ALCS trips. 

World Series rings together: 0

Verlander now has two rings with the 2017 and 2022 Astros while Scherzer won one with the 2019 Nationals

They did not, however, win one together and the goal now will be to change that with the Mets winning a title behind these two aces in the rotation. 

Other numbers

These are their all-time rankings. 

Pitcher WAR

27. Verlander, 78.1
33. Scherzer, 70.7

Wins

56. Verlander, 244
t114. Scherzer, 201

WHIP

14. Scherzer, 1.07
38. Verlander, 1.12

K/9

5. Scherzer, 10.71
23. Verlander, 9.0996

K/BB

8. Scherzer, 4.55
33. Verlander, 3.63

ERA+

t28. Scherzer, 135
t37. Verlander, 132