Giants Veteran Starter Justin Verlander Taking Steps in Rehab, Expected Back Soon

After a injury-riddled season in 2024, it was a gamble for the Giants to bring Verlander in.

At a glance, his numbers look like they did last year.

He has a 4.33 ERA in 52 innings and his strikeouts have gone down to 7.1 K/9 while he has yet to win a game.

However, two of his starts really skew his numbers, including one against the Cincinnati Reds in which he had one blow up inning.

His last five starts before being injured, he had begun to turn it around with a 3.29 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 27.1 innings.

Two pitches for him have been very effective, with opponents hitting .214 against his changeup and .125 against the sweeper.

While he is no longer the three-time AL Cy Young-winning ace anymore, if his last five starts are any indicator, Verlander could still be a valuable member of San Francisco's rotation.

Both Webb and Ray have been fantastic, and while the youngsters have shown signs of growth, their improvement could always be in flux.

That's what makes Verlander an important piece, providing be a steady, veteran presence in the clubhouse and on the mound if he can get to that point.

However, while he might be close to returning, his performance coming off an injury is still in question as his effectiveness has to be proven again.

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