Five strangest final teams for Baseball Hall of Famers

Justin Verlander has found a new home.

The future Hall of Famer has signed with the San Francisco Giants for the 2025 season. At 41, almost 42, and having struggled through an injury-riddled season with the Astros, this could be Verlander's final season. If so, Verlander could end his career in a Giants' uniform instead of the Tigers or Astros, two teams he had been synonymous with.

Verlander is not the only MLB legend to find himself in a strange uniform to end his career. Let's take a look at five Hall of Famers who ended their careers in unexpected places.

Ty Cobb — Philadelphia Athletics

Cobb may be remembered as a fiery, hot-tempered outfielder with the Tigers, but his final years came in Philadelphia. He had been a player-manager for the Tigers from 1921-26 but retired after the season. Cobb and fellow outfielder Tris Speaker were investigated in 1926 for fixing a game back in 1919. 

After both players were acquitted by commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis, Cobb joined the Athletics looking for a fresh start. He spent two seasons with the A's, recording his 4000th career hit and finishing fifth in batting average in 1927, before retiring for good. Ironically, Speaker joined Cobb with the A's in 1928, also his last major league season.

Joe Morgan — Oakland Athletics

Cobb and Speaker were not the only future Hall of Famers to have their final seasons with the A's organization. Joe Morgan, the catalyst of the Big Red Machine in the 1970s, spent his final year as a member of the then-Oakland Athletics.

Signing with the A's for the 1984 season was a homecoming for Morgan. He graduated from Castlemont High School in Oakland before signing with Houston. Morgan was still a productive player due to his ability to draw walks and still respectable power. He made his mark on history with the A's, hitting his 265th homer as a second baseman to set the record for the position.

Harmon Killebrew — Kansas City Royals

Killebrew had spent his entire career with the Twins organization, joining the team during their days as the Washington Senators before relocating ahead of the 1961 season. He was a fearsome power hitter, a 13-time All-Star who led the league in homers six times. However, the former MVP was facing the end of the road in 1974. The Twins offered to make Killebrew a player-coach in 1975, or send him to Triple-A.

Killebrew felt he had more left, signing with the Royals as their designated hitter. Although he hit a home run on Harmon Killebrew Day in Minnesota, highlights were few and far between. He hung up the spikes after the 1975 season, moving into the broadcasting booth.

Juan Marichal — Los Angeles Dodgers

Marichal and the Dodgers were intimately familiar with one another. As a member of the Giants, Marichal made 64 appearances against the Dodgers, more than any other team.  His most infamous moment came against the Dodgers when Marichal hit catcher John Roseboro over the head with his bat after the catcher's throw to Sandy Koufax came close to his face.

By the time 1975 came around, the then 37-year-old was a shell of his former self as his innings caught up with him. Beset by back problems, Marichal made two appearances for the Dodgers, allowing nine runs in six innings before retiring.

Dave Winfield — Cleveland

Although the story that Winfield was traded to Cleveland for dinner is false, he did spend his final season there. Winfield had been traded to Cleveland during the 1994 strike and re-signed with the club in free agency. Cleveland, with a young team ready to contend, wanted a veteran presence to help mentor their young outfielders.

While Winfield provided leadership, he did not do much else. He appeared in just 46 games due to several stints on the injured list, ending his career with a 3-19 run over the final month of the season. Cleveland made the World Series for the first time since 1954 but Winfield was not a part of the playoff roster.