The Giants are crushing spring training with a 19-6 record that leads the Cactus League, but it’s their pitching staff that’s turning heads in Arizona.
Former Cy Young winner Robbie Ray has been untouchable, racking up 19 strikeouts without issuing a single walk across 14 ⅓ innings. Young arms Landon Roupp and Hayden Birdsong have been equally impressive, combining for 32 strikeouts against just one walk. Closer Camilo Doval is showing signs of returning to All-Star form, while ace Logan Webb has dominated with a 1.77 ERA.
It’s exactly what San Francisco needs if they’re going to compete in a stacked NL West.
That’s where Justin Verlander comes in. The 42-year-old signed a one-year, $15 million deal with the Giants this winter for his 20th MLB season. While the future Hall of Famer has looked sharp this spring with a 1.69 ERA, there’s reason for concern after he posted a career-worst 5.48 ERA in 2023.
Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly believes the Giants might end up regretting the Verlander signing.
“The Giants gave the future Hall of Famer $15 million following a season in which he posted a 5.48 ERA, with a neck injury limiting him to just 17 starts and clearly affecting him when he was on the mound,” wrote Kelly. “Is it possible a healthy Verlander bounces back in 2025? Sure, it wouldn’t be the first time in his illustrious career that he seemed done and came roaring back. But he’s a 42-year-old who has logged more than 3,400 innings in his career. The more likely scenario is that Father Time has finally caught up with him.”
The concerns go beyond just the surface numbers. Verlander’s underlying metrics showed clear signs of decline last season. His fastball velocity dipped to 93.5 mph, and hitters teed off on his signature curveball to the tune of a .340 batting average and .560 slugging percentage.
Verlander has certainly defied the odds throughout his career, but it’s hard to see how he’ll live up to mid-rotation expectations with diminished stuff. The spring numbers look promising, but the Giants are betting $15 million that the future Hall of Famer has one more comeback left in that right arm.
