Justin Verlander. Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Justin Verlander signs with a new team for his 20th MLB season

By Adam Gretz | Last updated Jan 8, 2025 8:01 AM ET

Future Hall of Fame pitcher Justin Verlander is returning for a 20th season, and it will be with a new team for the 2025 season.

According to a report from ESPN's Jeff Passan, the San Francisco Giants and Verlander are in agreement on a one-year contract to add him to their rotation.

Financial terms of the agreement were not immediately released.

BREAKING: Right-hander Justin Verlander and the San Francisco Giants are in agreement on a one-year contract, pending physical, sources tell ESPN. The future Hall of Famer, who turns 42 next month, will spend his 20th season with the Giants.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 7, 2025

Verlander will turn 42 in February and be one of the oldest players in the league when the 2025 season begins.

He has been one of the best starting pitchers of this era and is a big-name to add to the Giants roster. It remains to be seen how effective he can be, however.

Verlander was still a top-tier starting pitcher as recently as the 2022 and 2023 seasons, but he took a significant step backwards in 2024 and had one of the worst seasons of his big league career.

In 17 starts with the Houston Astros he managed only a 5.48 ERA and a 72 ERA+ (a 100 ERA+ is considered league average), while only striking out 7.4 batters per nine innings. It was across the board his worst season in the majors.

The Giants are banking on a bounce back and that maybe he has one more useful year in his career.

Verlander is the second big-name addition by the Giants this offseason. The bigger, more significant move was to add infielder Willy Adames in free agency from the Milwaukee Brewers.

Adam Gretz

Adam Gretz is a freelance writer based in Pittsburgh. He covers the NHL, NFL, MLB and NBA. Baseball is his favorite sport -- he is nearly halfway through his goal of seeing a game in every MLB ballpark. Catch him on Twitter @AGretz

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