The San Francisco Giants have reached a one-year, $15 million agreement with veteran pitcher Justin Verlander, according to ESPN reports.
Verlander, who is set to celebrate his 42nd birthday in February, will be embarking on his 20th season in Major League Baseball with the Giants. This move marks Verlander’s return to the National League after a brief stint with the New York Mets in 2023. He was ranked as the 43rd best free agent in this year’s class by Yahoo Sports.
Throughout his career, Verlander has established himself as one of the premier pitchers of his era. A nine-time All-Star, he has won the Cy Young Award three times with the Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros. In 2011, Verlander was named the AL MVP, coinciding with his first Cy Young win with the Tigers.
Subsequent Cy Young victories came in 2019 and 2022 with the Astros, following his initial move to Houston in 2017. Verlander played a pivotal role in helping the Astros clinch the World Series titles in 2017 and 2022.
After signing with the Mets as a free agent before the 2023 season, Verlander was later traded back to the Astros at the trade deadline. He remained with the Astros until the end of the 2024 season before becoming a free agent.
Despite some recent struggles, Verlander remains determined to continue pitching until he reaches the age of 45. The Giants are optimistic that he can rediscover his form in San Francisco next season. Verlander will be joining a pitching staff that includes 2024 All-Star Logan Webb, although the team did lose Blake Snell, a two-time Cy Young winner, to the rival Dodgers in free agency.