Verlander Signs a Great Performance with the Giants
Victories have not been easy to come by for Justin Verlander this season. In a game where he threw 121 pitches, the 42-year-old right-handed pitcher achieved 10 strikeouts in five scoreless innings. This outstanding performance contributed to the victory of the San Francisco Giants, who defeated the Baltimore Orioles with a score of 13-2. With the Giants leading 7-0 in the fifth inning, the team didn’t consider taking Verlander out, despite the increase in his pitch count. He finished the top of that inning by striking out Gunnar Henderson and Ryan Mountcastle, which allowed him to secure his third win of the year. This victory represents the 265th in his career.This number of pitches is the second highest in the Major Leagues this season. Cleveland’s Gavin Williams threw 126 pitches on August 6 against the New York Mets. Verlander, who has a 3-10 record this season, lowered his ERA to 4.29 on Sunday and reached double digits in strikeouts for the 73rd time in his career. He allowed three hits and four walks.“On a day when you feel like you’re penalizing someone if they throw 100 pitches, throwing 120 in five innings, he didn’t want to know anything about leaving the game. There’s a lot to learn from him,” commented manager Bob Melvin.
Bob Melvin
Verlander, who joined the Giants during the offseason, was winless in his first 16 starts with the team. However, now, the three-time Cy Young Award winner has achieved two consecutive wins, including a victory against the Chicago Cubs earlier in the week. This was his first game with 10 strikeouts since August 23, 2022, when he played for Houston. The last time he threw so many pitches was on June 19, 2018, when he threw 122 pitches for the Astros against Tampa Bay.“It’s difficult for me because, especially the old school in me, it’s only five innings. I’m not sure I’m going home and saying it was a great start. At the end of the day, I think they did a great job battling against good pitches and fouling things off,” Verlander said.
Justin Verlander
