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Former MVP, 41-years old Justin Verlander’s neck injury left him in a slump. His performance became evidently underwhelming and he admitted that he had returned to the field too soon. This ignited a widespread curiosity in people regarding the future trajectory of Verlander’s career. Recently, it was reported that Justin Verlander and the San Francisco Giants have signed a $15 million,one year contract.The information was provided to the AP on the condition of anonymity as the agreement was still subject to finalization.
Verlander’s 2024: Injury and Setbacks
This will mark Justin Verlander’s 20th Major League Baseball season. He would join the pitching staff for the Giants’ rotation, led by All-Star pitcher, Logan Webb. Last year, Veteran Pitcher Verlander was sidelined from June 18th to August 21st in 2024 due to his neck injury. Played only in 17 games last year for the AL West Champion Houston Astros. Plagued by a significantly inflated 5.48 ERA, Verlander also posted a 1.38 WHIP and a 74/27 K/BB ratio in 90 ⅓ innings, while his strikeout numbers have dipped considerably in recent years. Despite reaching the playoffs, the Houston Astros were swept by the Detroit Tigers in the AL Wild Card Series, with Justin Verlander notably absent from their roster.
Justin Verlander’s contract with the Houston Astros included a player option that would have become active if he pitched 140 innings. However, due to his injury, he was unable to reach this threshold and became a free agent.
Verlander said he believed he had “a lot more to give” next season and in the future.”“I definitely feel like I want to continue to pitch and compete and I’m not ready to step away yet”, he said.
Justin Verlander’s Journey: From Dominance to Recent Decline
Justin Brooks Verlander is a highly accomplished American Professional Baseball Player. He is a Virginia native who attended Old Dominion University. Initially, his performance in college made him a highly sought-after prospect and later he was selected second overall in 2004 MLB Draft by the Detroit Tigers. He debuted with the Tigers in 2005.
He played for Detroit from 2005-2017; for Houston Astros from 2017-2022; with New York Mets for 2023 and now he is set to play with the Giants’. He helped the Houston team seize their first World Series title upon joining. He also won other awards during this period i.e two Cy Young Awards. In December of 2022, he signed a $86.7 million, two year contract with the Mets as a free agent.
Soon Verlander will be 42 years-old. His neck injury will need to be carefully considered regarding his ability to make significant contributions to the team while navigating the workload. He has been one of the best pitchers for a long period of time. He has been a two-time ERA title winner, two-time World Series Champion with the Astros and a three-time AL Cy Young Award Winner. He had been the most sought-after pitcher until his last year. Verlander is considered a low-risk gamble on short-term. While expecting drastic improvements may be a bit unrealistic at this juncture, if his health improves, he could become a valuable asset to the Giants. Furthermore, he has the potential to make a significant positive impact on the team in the long term. San Francisco also signed free agent shortstop Willy Adames to a $182 million, seven year contract in December.
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