‘I loved my time here’: SF Giants’ Verlander talks return to Houston
HOUSTON — Justin Verlander was never dead set on joining the San Francisco Giants at the beginning of the offseason.
Verlander and Jim Crane, the owner of the Houston Astros, each had interest in him returning to Houston for the 2025 season. But when president of baseball operations Buster Posey approached Verlander about joining the Giants, the Astros weren’t in a position to extend an offer to Verlander. So, to San Francisco the future Hall of Famer went.
“Once you kind of get the ball rolling with negotiations, you just don’t know how things are going to play out,” Verlander said before the Giants played the Astros on Monday at Daikin Park. “I’ve seen that play out before. … I loved my time here. It’s something. It’s something that’s really special to me. Of course, the opportunity to play here is always something that’s on my mind.”
Verlander solidified his place in Cooperstown during his time in Houston. Over seven seasons with the Astros, Verlander had a 73-28 record with a 2.71 ERA in 130 regular-season starts, winning two Cy Young Awards (’19, ’22) and two World Series titles (’17, ’22). For all he accomplished in Houston, Verlander doesn’t know which cap his Hall of Fame plaque will feature — only that it won’t be that of the Giants or the New York Mets.
The right-hander spent the first 13 seasons of his career with the Detroit Tigers, who drafted him with the second pick in the 2004 MLB Draft. With Detroit, Verlander went 183-114 with a 3.49 ERA and 2,373 strikeouts, winning Rookie of the Year, an MVP and his first Cy Young Award in the process. Entering Monday, Verlander’s 262 wins are the most by an active pitcher.
“Some really special things happened here … I’m not blowing smoke; this is just kind of how I operate. I let things just kind of happen and make decisions when I have all the information,” Verlander said. “I never would have known I would come back here after going to New York. You just never know how things play out. You don’t know how things will play out with Detroit for me in the future. It’s not a decision I can even really think about that much right now. Quite honestly, I try not to.”
For manager Bob Melvin, most of his memories of Verlander are in a Tigers uniform — and they aren’t exactly fond memories either.
In back-to-back years, Verlander’s Tigers met Melvin’s Oakland A’s in the ALDS. In back-to-back years, the Tigers beat the A’s and Verlander had no small part in those outcomes.
Verlander made four total starts against the A’s in the 2012 and 2013 playoffs, allowing one lone run over 31 innings (0.29 ERA) with 43 strikeouts. He took the mound in the deciding Game 5 of each series, tossing an 11-strikeout shutout in ’12 and eight shutout innings with 10 strikeouts in ’13.
“He was hard on me all the time,” Melvin said. “(With) Detroit, there were a couple of epic Game 5s. I probably remember him more in a Tigers uni, but he won a world championship here. He can do what he wants.”
Verlander, who won’t pitch during the three-game series in Houston, will make his next start against Seattle during the Giants’ home opener Friday afternoon.
Walker “good to go”
Closer Ryan Walker didn’t pitch the ninth inning in Sunday’s 6-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds, but Melvin said his closer threw off the mound on Monday and will be “good to go.”
With Walker unable to pitch yesterday, Melvin gave the ninth inning to former closer Camilo Doval. The All-Star pitched a clean inning with a strikeout, converting his first save of the season. Dating back to last season, Doval hasn’t allowed an earned run in his last five appearances.