Justin Verlander’s illustrious MLB career speaks for itself: a 9-time All-Star, 2-time World Series champion, 3-time Cy Young winner, and 2011 Triple Crown recipient. There’s no doubt he’s headed for the Hall of Fame and will be remembered as one of the top pitchers of the 21st century.
After a rare 5.48 ERA in 2024, Verlander signed a one-year, $15 million deal with the San Francisco Giants. This move comes under the leadership of new president of baseball operations, Buster Posey, who aims to enhance his legacy with the Giants, this time from the front office.
Verlander’s 2024 season was affected by a neck injury, limiting him to just 17 starts, a 5-6 record, and marking his first season with a sub-.500 winning percentage since 2015.
Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly recently released a list of predictions for every MLB team and their biggest offseason regrets. For the Giants, Kelly’s prediction may come as a surprise. Despite the Giants signing Willy Adames to a record seven-year, $182 million deal, Kelly predicted Verlander would be the team’s biggest offseason regret.
Kelly’s reasoning stems from Verlander’s age and extensive career workload, having logged over 3,400 innings. “The more likely scenario is that Father Time has finally caught up with him,” Kelly noted.
This prediction is intriguing, especially since Verlander has defied the odds in recent years, joining the 3,000 strikeout club in 2019 and winning a third Cy Young at 39. If Verlander can stave off decline for a bit longer and prove that 2024 was an anomaly, Posey’s decision will be validated. However, if not, Kelly’s prediction could prove true, signaling that Father Time has caught up with the future Hall of Famer.
