Can Justin Verlander Figure Out How To Get His Game on Track for Giants?

The San Francisco Giants recognized there were some risks associated with their approach to addressing their starting rotation in the offseason.

When ace Blake Snell decided to move on in free agency, opting out of his contract and signing a long-term deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the team had to find a replacement.

They didn’t go to the top of the market, instead choosing to sign veteran Justin Verlander to a one-year, $15 million contract.

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The future Hall of Famer was coming off the least productive season of his career with the Houston Astros, but there were some signs that he had something left in the tank to offer to the team.

Things haven’t gone according to plan, with Verlander making 13 starts and yet to win a game. As shared by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription required), this is the longest winless streak for a pitcher in franchise history since at least 1901.

He has a record of 0-5 on the season with a 4.26 ERA across 67.2 innings with 55 strikeouts. There has certainly been some bad luck involved in his winless streak since he isn’t performing too poorly.

“Verlander, though, isn’t pitching horribly. His park- and league-adjusted ERA is only 9 percent below league average. He was disrupted by a strained right pec that kept him out from May 22 to June 18,” Rosenthal wrote.

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Since returning to the mound, the veteran pitcher has made three starts, pitching 15.2 innings and allowing seven earned runs.

In his most recent outing against the Chicago White Sox, he showed signs of a breakthrough, pitching six innings and allowing only one earned run with three strikeouts.

Verlander feels that things are starting to come together and a turnaround is on the horizon.

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“I feel like I kind of found something mechanically,” Verlander said Wednesday after the White Sox Start, via Rosenthal. “I’m hopeful it’s going to allow me to pitch the way I feel I still can. I’m still throwing 94-95 pretty consistently. I know that’s good enough to have success. I just need to find a way to make it click. That’s what I’ve been searching for.”

The injury certainly didn’t help, and at the end of the day, overcoming the wear and tear as a 42-year-old in his 20th career season presents difficulties.

But Verlander is confident in himself, and if his mechanics remain sound, improved performance should be coming in the near future.

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He has to be put at ease somewhat knowing there aren’t any other players pushing to take his spot after Kyle Harrison and Jordan Hicks were traded to the Boston Red Sox as part of the package to bring in Rafael Devers.

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