Three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander and the San Francisco Giants already have history with one another. Now, they’ll be joining forces.
Verlander and the Giants have agreed on a one-year contract pending a physical, according to multiple reports. Per ESPN’s Jesse Rogers, Verlander’s deal is worth $15 million.
Verlander, who will turn 42 by Opening Day, is the active leader in games started (526), wins (262), innings (3415 2/3) and strikeouts (3416). Along with the 2011 American League MVP with the Tigers and Cy Young Awards with the Tigers and the Astros (twice), the right-hander’s resumé features nine All-Star selections, two World Series titles and Rookie of the Year.
Despite his credentials, the right-hander is coming off the worst season of his career. In 17 starts with the Houston Astros, Verlander posted a 5.48 ERA with 74 strikeouts over 90 1/3 innings. Verlander missed most of last season due to right shoulder inflammation and neck discomfort. Regarding his neck injury, Verlander admitted to reporters that he may have returned too soon.
The agreement with Verlander comes roughly a week after the Giants missed out on Corbin Burnes, another former Cy Young winner who shocked the baseball industry by signing a six-year, $210 million contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
It is currently unclear how the Giants’ rotation will shake out with the addition of Verlander.
As constructed, San Francisco’s rotation features Logan Webb, Robbie Ray, Jordan Hicks, Kyle Harrison and Hayden Birdsong. The Giants could move Hicks, a converted reliever, to the bullpen if they want to maintain a traditional five-man rotation. Alternatively, given that Verlander likely won’t throw a ton of innings, San Francisco could roll with a six-man rotation.
Regardless of what the Giants do with their rotation, Verlander stands to serve in a mentorship role to Birdsong and Harrison, who will both be 23-years-old on Opening Day. Landen Roupp (26), Mason Black (25), Keaton Winn (26) and prospect Carson Whisenhunt (24) could benefit from Verlander’s tutelage as well.
Verlander’s role in Giants lore is already well-established.. In Game 1 of the 2012 World Series at Oracle Park (then AT&T Park), Pablo Sandoval hit two of his three home runs off Verlander, who allowed five runs across four innings. San Francisco, led by current president of baseball operations Buster Posey, went on to sweep the Detroit Tigers, winning their second championship in three years. Verlander won two World Series titles with the Astros, in 2017 and 2022.
The move is reminiscent of the Giants signing another future Hall of Famer in the twilight of his career.
In 2009, a 45-year-old Randy Johnson pitched in 22 games (17 starts) for the Giants in what proved to be the final season of his career. The Big Unit didn’t pitch well by his Hall of Fame standards (4.88 ERA, 96 innings) but won the 300th game of his career with the Giants, the last pitcher to achieve the feat.
Verlander is currently 38 wins away from joining the 300-win club, and given the trajectory of starters, he might be the only pitcher to have even a remote shot of the achievement for quite some time.
