Justin Verlander is still bothered by being referred to as a “diva” by an unnamed player from the New York Mets, almost half a year after an article in the New York Post mentioned the insult.
In a recent New York Post article, MLB Insider Jon Heyman disclosed that he had a conversation with Verlander. The 41-year-old Houston Astros pitcher and probable future Hall of Famer expressed his continued discomfort with the “diva” remark. He even reached out to former Mets teammates to verify if members of the organization genuinely viewed him in that light.
“Everyone I talked to assured me that it wasn’t true,” Verlander revealed.
Although there may be conflicting views within the Mets team, it seems that Verlander’s reputation as a diva is not widely accepted, or perhaps those he consulted simply refrained from directly labeling him as such.
Nonetheless, Verlander did acknowledge that such a characterization might have been fitting earlier in his career.
“I wasn’t always the most supportive teammate,” Verlander confessed regarding his time with the Detroit Tigers. “I was solely focused on my own goals and didn’t always make an effort to connect with others who weren’t on the same page.”
Speculation arose that the unidentified Mets player who made the “diva” comment could have been Max Scherzer, another expected Hall of Famer who played alongside Verlander on both the Tigers and Mets. Their relationship was notoriously strained during their time in Detroit.
Verlander eliminated Scherzer as a suspect by expressing gratitude for the chance to reunite with him and noting that they frequently train together during the offseason.
The mystery of who branded Verlander a diva to the New York Post remains unsolved, leaving the accuracy of the comment uncertain.
With his tumultuous period with the Mets now in the past, Verlander’s primary focus is on recovering his arm strength to pitch for the Houston Astros on opening day.
If Verlander contributes to another World Series victory for Houston, it’s likely that any negative opinions about him among teammates will be kept under wraps.
