Justin Verlander has officially joined the San Francisco Giants on a one-year contract worth $15 million, as reported by Fox Sports from a reliable source familiar with the contract negotiations.
This signing marks a significant step in the new direction of the Giants under the leadership of Buster Posey, who took over as President of Baseball Operations in September, succeeding Farhan Zaidi.
In addition to Verlander, the Giants also made headlines in December by securing free agent shortstop Willy Adames with a substantial seven-year, $182 million contract.
As he enters his 20th major league season, Verlander, a three-time AL Cy Young Award winner, is set to turn 42 next month. He will bolster a Giants rotation that already features standout pitcher Logan Webb.
Last season, Verlander recorded a 5-6 record with a 5.48 ERA across 17 starts for the Houston Astros. He began the year on the injured list due to shoulder inflammation and later faced neck issues that sidelined him from June 18 to August 21.
In a challenging September, he struggled with a 9.26 ERA in five starts and was ultimately left off the Astros’ postseason roster when they were eliminated by Detroit in the AL Wild Card Series. His failure to pitch 140 innings last season led to his free agency, which also meant he missed the chance to activate a $35 million conditional player option.
