The Giants officially have added a future National Baseball Hall of Famer to their roster.
Veteran ace Justin Verlander has signed a one-year, $15 million contract with San Francisco, the team officially announced Saturday. ESPN's Jeff Passan and Jesse Rogers first reported the news Tuesday. To make room on the roster for Verlander, the Giants designated catcher Blake Sabol for assignment.
OFFICIAL: The #SFGiants have signed three-time Cy Young Award winner and nine-time All-Star, Justin Verlander, to a one-year contract for the 2025 season pic.twitter.com/kXkPrqDbag
— SFGiants (@SFGiants) January 12, 2025
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After missing out on Corbin Burnes, the Giants pivoted to the three-time AL Cy Young Award winner who will turn 42 next month and has the second-most playoff wins of all time.
Verlander, a 19-year MLB veteran, compiled a 5.48 ERA with 74 strikeouts across 90.1 innings en route to a 5-6 record in 2024 with the Houston Astros. The ace owns a career 3.30 ERA and 1.13 WHIP, however, and is just two seasons removed from a Cy Young campaign.
This Justin: Justin Verlander pic.twitter.com/HNDpG9Fwp1
— SFGiants (@SFGiants) January 12, 2025
The Giants approach spring training with plenty of youngsters on their pitching staff, including Kyle Harrison, Hayden Birdsong, Landen Roupp and Mason Black, who certainly will be able to learn a thing or two from Verlander. And San Francisco's veteran pitchers like Logan Webb, Robbie Ray and Jordan Hicks will benefit greatly from the former AL MVP's knowledge and experience.
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The last time Verlander pitched at Oracle Park ironically was in the 2012 World Series, when Pablo Sandoval homered off of him twice in San Francisco's Game 1 victory. Despite his Detroit Tigers' loss to the Giants in the Fall Classic that year, Verlander went on to win two World Series titles with the Astros in 2017 and 2022.
Now, he'll play for his former opponent, Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey.