Justin Verlander Aims for 300 Wins as He Turns 42
On Thursday, Justin Verlander, a three-time Cy Young Award recipient in the American League, celebrated his 42nd birthday while maintaining his ambition to achieve 300 career wins in Major League Baseball.
The experienced right-handed pitcher boasts a total of 262 wins, the highest among active players, as he gears up for his 20th season in the league. This upcoming season marks his debut with the San Francisco Giants after dealing with injuries throughout the 2024 season while with the Houston Astros.
Recently, Verlander threw batting practice for the first time this spring at the Giants’ training camp in Scottsdale, Arizona. He had been working throughout the offseason and feels revitalized after starting the previous season on the injured list due to shoulder inflammation, followed by a two-month absence caused by neck issues. In his last 17 appearances for Houston, he recorded a less-than-stellar 5-6 record with a 5.48 ERA, marking the worst performance of his career, which typically hovers around a 3.30 career ERA.
“I don’t want to embarrass myself out there,” Verlander expressed in an interview after his practice session. “But having the opportunity to play for two decades and do something I love every day is a blessing. As long as I possess the passion to play and am dedicated to the necessary work to compete, I see no reason to stop.”
When he was signed by the Giants for a one-year deal worth $15 million last month, Verlander referred to his previous season as a “worst-case scenario.” He admitted that the injuries disrupted his rhythm and that he struggled immensely while pitching during that time.
“There were positives, though. I learned a lot,” he noted about the experience. “You can’t have a long career without gaining insights from your injuries.”
To reach the coveted 300-win milestone, Verlander will need to continue pitching beyond the 2025 season. Throughout MLB history, only 24 pitchers have achieved 300 wins, with Randy Johnson being the last to do so in 2009 while playing for San Francisco. Johnson’s career total reached 303 wins over 22 seasons and finished at the age of 46, with an 8-6 record in his final season.
Currently, two other active players have surpassed 200 career wins: Max Scherzer with 216 and Clayton Kershaw with 212, while Gerrit Cole trails behind with 153 wins.
After spending all of 2021 recovering from Tommy John surgery, Verlander emerged strong in 2022, achieving an impressive 18-4 record and a 1.75 ERA over 34 starts, contributing to the Astros’ World Series victory. In 2023, he played for both the New York Mets and the Astros, concluding the season with a combined record of 13-8 and a 3.22 ERA in 27 starts, all while navigating life as a 40-year-old.
Verlander first clinched the Cy Young Award with the Detroit Tigers in 2011, when he also earned the title of American League MVP by finishing the season with a 24-6 record, a 3.40 ERA, and 250 strikeouts over 34 starts. His second Cy Young came in 2019 with the Astros when he achieved a 21-6 record and was recognized as a 20-game winner for the second time in his career.
