He hardly pitched for two seasons after Tommy John surgery and yet had his team place a qualifying offer on him.

If you were playing this “Jeopardy!” style and responded, “Who is Noah Syndergaard?” That would be correct. But it is not the only answer. Justin Verlander, who started July 24, 2020, for Houston and not since, also had the qualifying offer put on him despite the surgery and paucity of innings the last two years.

Unlike Syndergaard, however, there were no public indicators Verlander was forcing a quick resolution.

The Syndergaard camp had told interested suitors to get in their best offers because the righty wanted to make a decision Monday and take a physical Tuesday so that if he failed, he could just accept the Mets’ $18.4 million qualifying offer before the 5 p.m. Wednesday deadline. Syndergaard picked the Angels’ $21 million bid and was due to take that physical on Tuesday.

The Syndergaard camp had told interested suitors to get in their best offers because the righty wanted to make a decision Monday and take a physical Tuesday so that if he failed, he could just accept the Mets’ $18.4 million qualifying offer before the 5 p.m. Wednesday deadline. Syndergaard picked the Angels’ $21 million bid and passed the physical.

Verlander could still accept the qualifying offer. But during the postseason, Houston owner Jim Crane, in stating that his club was likely to extend the veteran righty the qualifying offer, said Verlander was looking for a contract “of some length.” If accurate, that would suggest Verlander is willing to bet on himself and his health and seek a multiyear deal.

Syndergaard bet on himself in a different fashion. His representatives told interested clubs that the righty wanted only a one-year contract. That would allow him to be a free agent again next offseason, but this time without having to deal with a qualifying offer. He will only be 30 and Syndergaard, if he has a strong 2022, could try for the long, lucrative contract then.

Verlander will pitch at 39 next season. But the last time he was healthy, 2019, he won his second AL Cy Young Award. He likely doesn’t have to throw another pitch to be a Hall of Famer. Word is that the teams that were in on Syndergaard also have interest in Verlander. That includes three AL East clubs — the Yankees, Blue Jays and Red Sox. Toronto and Boston made aggressive offers for Syndergaard. It is not publicly known if the Yanks did.

But the Yankees seem more serious about Verlander and could have advantages. A few interested clubs said they perceive Verlander would prefer the East Coast to the West Coast. Verlander has been rehabbing at Eric Cressey’s Florida facility. Cressey is the Yankees’ director of player health and performance. Last year, another two-time AL Cy Young winner, Corey Kluber, rehabbed with Cressey after missing most of the previous two seasons and the Yanks signed the righty to a one-year, $11 million pact. As with Kluber, the Yanks will believe that via Cressey they will have as much information about Verlander’s health as anyone.

In addition, Verlander played with Gerrit Cole on the 2018-19 Astros and the two — and also their spouses — were said to get along well; just in case recruiting becomes an issue.

But clearly this comes down to money and, while the Yanks want to add a starter, their priority is shortstop, with catcher and center field also target areas. Just how much will Hal Steinbrenner inflate payroll to address those needs and at what financial levels?

Because the early starting-pitcher signings suggest a pro-player market. And early is word that, for example, Robbie Ray is seeking a high-end six-year deal, Marcus Stroman five years and Max Scherzer a record three-year pact at perhaps as much as $45 million annually. So the potential is there for Verlander to get, at minimum, a strong two-year deal (think north of $40 million). There is obvious risk for a 39-year-old who really hasn’t pitched since 2019 nor under new guidelines trying to eliminate illegal sticky substances.

His track record and competitive nature, though, is stellar. And the market is suggesting the kind of competition that drives prices up.