Will he take the mound again next year? The answer is about what you’d expect.
San Francisco Giants veteran starter Justin Verlander, who has bounced back well after a shaky start to the season, told Bob Nightengale of USA Today that he intends to pitch in 2026.
SF Giants veteran pitcher Justin Verlander makes a decision on 2026 season
The future Hall of Famer has been open for years about his pursuit of 300 career wins, so his desire to return for a 21st season doesn’t come as much of a surprise.
That said, it takes both sides to make a reunion work, and earlier this year it didn’t look like a sure thing. Verlander posted a 4.70 ERA over his first 15 starts, raising questions about his future. Since then, he’s turned things around in a big way, delivering a 2.63 ERA across his last 12 outings while emerging as San Francisco’s most reliable starter in the second half.
Even so, the chase for career wins has been slowed by circumstances outside his control. Verlander has managed just three wins in 27 starts this year, a total that hardly reflects how well he has pitched. Lack of run support and bullpen breakdowns have been recurring issues. Wednesday’s 5-1 extra-inning win over the Diamondbacks was a perfect example: Verlander spun seven scoreless innings, only for the offense to stay quiet until the 11th inning.
At 42, he has still put together a respectable line — a 3.75 ERA, 3.71 FIP, 1.34 WHIP, 8.1 K/9, and 2.59 BB/9 over 141.2 innings. That kind of second-half resurgence typically plays well in free agency, and Verlander looks positioned to benefit.
Whether or not he re-signs with the Giants remains to be seen. One option the team won’t have is a qualifying offer, since Verlander already accepted one with the Astros back in 2022 — and that tool can only be used once in a player’s career.
