In 2024, Justin Verlander had a tough season with injuries, but he still wants to keep playing baseball.
After his team, the Astros, lost to the Tigers in the playoffs, Verlander shared with Chandler Rome from The Athletic that he’s not ready to retire yet. He said, “I want to continue to pitch, to compete. I’m not ready to step away yet.”
Verlander’s contract had a $35 million option for 2025 if he pitched 140 innings. Unfortunately, due to shoulder and neck problems during the season, he only managed 90 1/3 innings across 17 games. This means he’ll be a free agent in the upcoming off-season.
Future Prospects:
During those games, his ERA was 5.48 with a K/BB ratio of 2.74. His fastball speed has been dropping recently too. However, Verlander is one of the best pitchers ever and sometimes great players bounce back unexpectedly! Teams looking for strong pitchers might take a chance on him for a comeback in 2025.
Fans might think it’s exciting that he’s still eager to play despite setbacks.
If he plays next year, Verlander will lead all active players with 262 wins and has an impressive career WAR of 81.0—definitely Hall of Fame numbers! He’s determined not to stop adding more achievements like these any time soon.
What do you think about his decision?
