SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Giants have finalized a one-year deal worth $15 million with pitcher Justin Verlander, as confirmed by a source familiar with the discussions. The agreement, which is contingent on Verlander passing a physical examination, reflects the team’s ambitions under newly appointed President of Baseball Operations, Buster Posey, who took over in September, succeeding Farhan Zaidi.
This signing marks another significant move for the Giants, following their December acquisition of shortstop Willy Adames on a seven-year contract valued at $182 million. As he enters his 20th major league season, Verlander, who has won the AL Cy Young Award three times, is approaching his 42nd birthday next month. He is expected to bolster a Giants rotation that is currently led by All-Star right-hander Logan Webb.
During the previous season with the Houston Astros, Verlander posted a 5-6 record along with a 5.48 ERA across 17 games. He began the season on the injured list due to shoulder issues and faced a second stint on the IL for neck problems from mid-June to late August. His performance suffered further as he recorded an alarming 9.26 ERA in five outings in September and was ultimately excluded from the Astros’ postseason roster after the team was eliminated by the Tigers in the AL Wild Card Series. His inability to log 140 innings meant he could not activate a $35 million conditional player option, making him a free agent.
After his team’s playoff exit, Verlander expressed confidence in his future, stating he believes he has “a lot more to give” to the game in the upcoming season. “I definitely feel like I want to continue to pitch and compete, and I’m not ready to step away yet,” he noted in an interview back in October.
A native of Virginia, Verlander honed his skills at Old Dominion University before being drafted second overall by the Detroit Tigers in 2004. He made his MLB debut with Detroit in 2005 and spent over 12 seasons with the franchise, achieving notable success including a Cy Young award and the AL MVP title in 2011, when he had a remarkable 24-5 record with a 2.40 ERA.
In August 2017, he was acquired by the Astros, where he played a crucial role in securing the team’s first World Series trophy in the same year, cementing his status as a key figure in their roster. Verlander has since claimed two more Cy Young Awards and added an additional championship to his accolades during his time in Houston.
Most recently, he signed a two-year contract worth $86.7 million with the New York Mets in December 2022, making 16 starts before being traded back to the Astros in exchange for two minor league prospects.
Throughout his illustrious career, Verlander has achieved a record of 262 wins against 147 losses, accompanied by a 3.30 ERA from 526 starts. He leads all active pitchers in wins, strikeouts (3,416), innings pitched (3,415 2/3), and starts, as well as complete games (26). In 38 playoff appearances, he has compiled a 17-12 record with a 3.58 ERA.
