San Francisco Giants pitcher Justin Verlander has had a mixed year after signing a one-year, \$15 million deal with the team ahead of the 2025 season. Early in the year, the 42-year-old struggled with injuries and inconsistent performances, prompting concerns that age might finally be catching up with him.
However, Verlander has bounced back impressively since the All-Star break, recording a 2.63 ERA across 12 starts, with 60 strikeouts over 65 innings. While he’s no longer the strikeout machine he once was, he’s shown an impressive ability to limit hard contact.
His dominance has continued into September, allowing only one run over his last 20 innings pitched. Following Wednesday’s win against the Arizona Diamondbacks—where Verlander threw seven shutout innings—he announced that he intends to keep pitching beyond this season.
“Justin Verlander says he definitely plans on pitching in 2026 after his sensational second half,” reported Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
Verlander is slated to enter free agency again this offseason and is hopeful for another opportunity to remain a starting pitcher. With 265 career wins, he’s inching closer to the rare 300-win milestone—achievable if he plays a few more seasons. Unfortunately, the Giants’ lack of run support has limited him to just three wins this season despite his strong performances.
A Legendary Career
Even though he’s continuing into 2026, Verlander has already cemented his legacy as one of the all-time greats. Over a 20-year MLB career, his accolades include:
AL Rookie of the Year
AL MVP
Three Cy Young Awards
Nine All-Star selections
Two World Series titles
Whenever he decides to retire, Verlander is a lock for the Hall of Fame. The only remaining question will be which team he’ll represent in Cooperstown.