Verlander (pectoral) will be activated from the 15-day injured list to start Wednesday's game against the Guardians, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
Verlander completed a 65-pitch simulated game last Wednesday and a bullpen session Saturday, clearing the way for his return to the Giants rotation. He will be skipping a rehab assignment and will likely be looking at a maximum of around 80 pitches Wednesday versus Cleveland. Verlander has posted a 4.33 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 41:21 K:BB across 52 innings this season and is still looking for his first win.
Verlander (pectoral) completed a bullpen session Saturday and is expected to return during the Giants' upcoming homestand, which begins Tuesday versus the Guardians, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
Verlander completed a 65-pitch sim game Wednesday in what appeared to be his final test before being activated from the injured list. Saturday's activity may have been one final confirmation that he's ready to retake the big-league mound, which he appears likely to do within the next week.
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Giants' Justin Verlander: Completes another sim game
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Verlander (pectoral) threw 65 pitches in a simulated game at Coors Field on Wednesday and could rejoin the Giants during their series against the Guardians which begins Tuesday, per MLB.com.
Verlander is seemingly nearing a return to game action after being placed on the 15-day injured list May 22 due to a right pec strain. The veteran right-hander has thrown two simulated games, the first which came last Friday, during which he threw 35-40 pitches at Oracle Park. Before landing on the shelf, Verlander posted a 4.33 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 41:21 K:BB across 52 innings this season, going 0-3 across 10 starts.
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Giants' Justin Verlander: Another sim game on tap
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Verlander (pectoral) is scheduled to throw a simulated game Wednesday in Colorado, MLB.com reports.
On Friday, Verlander threw 35-to-40 pitches in a sim game at Oracle Park, and he'll presumably build on that workload while he faces hitters again Wednesday. If Verlander checks out fine physically following the upcoming sim game, he could be cleared to return from the 15-day injured list next week. Before landing on the shelf May 22 due to a right pec strain, Verlander went 0-3 with a 4.33 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 41:21 K:BB over 52 innings with the Giants.
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Giants' Justin Verlander: Completes sim game
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Verlander (pectoral) threw 35-to-40 pitches in a simulated game at Oracle Park on Friday and will be re-evaluated Saturday, MLB.com reports.
Verlander was placed on the 15-day injured list May 22 due to a right pec strain. The veteran right-hander tossed two simulated innings Friday, facing batters for the first time since suffering the injury. The Giants will evaluate how the 42-year-old responds Saturday before determining his next steps. Verlander has posted a 4.33 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 41:21 K:BB across 52 innings this season, going 0-3 across 10 starts.
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Giants' Justin Verlander: Next start delayed
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Manager Bob Melvin said Saturday that Verlander (pectoral) isn't expected to make his next start, Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Melvin added that Verlander hasn't experienced a setback in his recovery from a right pectoral strain, but the ball simply hasn't been coming out of his hand the way he'd like. The 42-year-old righty will now presumably look to return to the mound next weekend, which will give Kyle Harrison enought time to make at least one more start with the Giants.
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Giants' Justin Verlander: Throws around 40 pitches
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Verlander (pectoral) threw around 40 pitches in a bullpen session Tuesday, Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Verlander said he is "trending forward," and there are a couple more boxes to check before he can determine if he'll be ready to rejoin the rotation sometime next week. He had an uncharacteristic 9:8 K:BB in 15 innings over his three most recent starts before landing on the IL.
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Giants' Justin Verlander: IL move made official
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The Giants placed Verlander on the 15-day injured list Thursday due to a right pectoral strain, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News reports.
Manager Bob Melvin revealed Wednesday that Verlander was bound for the IL and that transaction is now official. The veteran hurler began experiencing pectoral soreness prior to his last start over the weekend against the Athletics and was unable to make enough progress in between outings to avoid the IL. Verlander will be eligible for activation June 3, but it's too soon to know whether he will be ready to go on that date.
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Giants' Justin Verlander: Bound for 15-day IL
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Manager Bob Melvin said Wednesday that Verlander will be placed on the 15-day injured list due to right pectoral soreness, Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Verlander was dealing with the issue during his last start against the Athletics on Sunday. There was optimism that he would be able to make his next turn through the rotation this weekend in Washington, but the veteran right-hander will instead go on the IL and miss at least two starts. The Giants could call up a starter from Triple-A to replace Verlander or shift Jordan Hicks from the bullpen back into the rotation.
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Giants' Justin Verlander: Nursing pectoral issue
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Giants manager Bob Melvin said Monday that Verlander is dealing with a slight pectoral issue, but he is optimistic the pitcher will make his next scheduled start Saturday versus the Nationals, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Verlander revealed after displaying reduced velocity in Sunday's start against the Athletics that he was affected by a physical issue, and now Melvin has offered more specifics on the nature of the injury. The 42-year-old hurler will presumably need to get through a between-starts throwing session before being cleared for Saturday, but at the moment the Giants don't expect Verlander to miss his next turn.
Verlander revealed after Sunday's start against the Athletics that he was dealing with a physical issue that affected his velocity and mechanics, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
Verlander intimated that he was experiencing the issue before the start began and the Giants were aware he was compromised but were comfortable with him taking the ball. The righty averaged only 91.3 mph with his four-seamer in the outing, walking five and allowing two runs over four innings. Verlander declined to offer more details on what injury he's battling, but he said he's "pretty optimistic" he'll be able to make his next scheduled start Saturday on the road versus the Nationals. The 42-year-old was limited to only 17 starts last season because of shoulder and neck problems.
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Giants' Justin Verlander: Walks five in no-decision
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Verlander allowed two runs on three hits and five walks while striking out one over four innings in a no-decision versus the Athletics on Sunday.
Verlander's control issues cropped up again Sunday, as he threw just 41 of 84 pitches for strikes. He was able to mostly limit the damage despite his inefficiency, though he left in line for the loss after giving up a two-run single to Lawrence Butler in the fourth inning. The Giants' two-run eighth inning spared Verlander from another loss. This was just the second time he's failed to complete five innings this year, but he's doing little more than eating innings. He's at a 4.33 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 41:21 K:BB through 52 innings over 10 starts so far. He's lined up for a favorable road matchup versus the Nationals in his next outing.
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Giants' Justin Verlander: Takes narrow loss
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Verlander (0-3) allowed two runs on nine hits and a walk while striking out five over six innings to take the loss Monday versus the Diamondbacks.
Verlander's performance has stabilized after a rough first few turns through the rotation. This was his fourth quality start in his last five outings, though he ended up with the loss anyway after allowing a pair of solo home runs to Corbin Carroll in the low-scoring game. Verlander's ERA is down to 4.31, but he still has a 1.35 WHIP and 40:16 K:BB over 48 innings through nine starts this season. He hasn't had a BB/9 over 3.0 in a full season since 2017, but it's right at that mark so far in 2025. He's projected to make his next start at home versus the Athletics.
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Giants' Justin Verlander: Gives up three runs in no-decision
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Verlander didn't factor into the decision against the Cubs on Tuesday. He allowed three runs on five hits and two walks while striking out three over five innings.
Verlander entered Tuesday's game having logged three-straight quality starts, but he wasn't able to extend that streak to four after being lifted before the start of the sixth inning. He generated nine whiffs on 82 pitches (52 strikes), and the two-run home run he gave up to Miguel Amaya in the third frame was Verlander's sixth of the season, which is tied for 10th most in the National League. Through eight starts this season, Verlander has a 4.50 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 35:15 K:BB across 42 innings. He's slated to face the Diamondbacks at home next week.
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Giants' Justin Verlander: Works into seventh inning Thursday
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Verlander didn't factor into the decision Thursday against the Rockies after allowing two runs on five hits and one walk in 6.1 innings. He struck out four.
It was the longest start of the year by Verlander, who also generated a respectable 11 whiffs Thursday. However, the veteran right-hander did surrender a home run, a seventh-inning leadoff solo shot by Ryan McMahon, for the fifth time in seven outings in 2025. Verlander now has a 4.38 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 32:13 K:BB over 37 innings ahead of a daunting task on the road next week against the Cubs, who lead the major leagues in run scored (192) as a club.
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Giants' Justin Verlander: Still winless despite quality start
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Verlander (0-2) took the loss Friday as the Giants were downed 2-0 by the Rangers, allowing two runs on five hits and a walk over six innings. He struck out five.
The 42-year-old right-hander delivered his second straight quality start on 89 pitches (65 strikes), but San Francisco's bats couldn't get going against Nathan Eovaldi and the Texas bullpen. Verlander appears to be turning things around, but on the season he still carries a 4.99 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 28:12 K:BB through 30.2 innings. He'll be in an excellent spot to collect his first win as a Giant in his next outing, which is scheduled to come at home next week against the Rockies.
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Giants' Justin Verlander: Gives up four runs in loss
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Verlander (0-1) took the loss Tuesday against Philadelphia. He allowed four runs on eight hits and three walks while striking out one over 5.2 innings.
Verlander put the Giants behind when he gave up two runs in the second inning, including a solo shot by J.T. Realmuto. Verlander recovered to toss three scoreless frames, but he was tagged for two more runs in the sixth inning and wasn't able to complete the frame. While he's generated a 32.6 percent whiff rate, Verlander has yet to make it out of the sixth inning in any of his four starts in 2025. He has a 6.75 ERA and 1.77 WHIP across 18.2 innings to begin the season, and he'll look to get back on track in his next start, tentatively slated for this weekend on the road against the Angels.
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Giants' Justin Verlander: Runs into trouble in third inning
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Verlander didn't factor into the decision Wednesday against the Reds after allowing six runs (five earned) on five hits and three walks in 5.2 innings. He struck out nine.
The veteran right-hander did tally his most strikeouts in a start since May of last season, but he ran into trouble after tossing two scoreless frames to open the game. A TJ Friedl double plated one run, an Elly De La Cruz double brought in two more and a Gavin Lux two-run single completed a five-run third inning for the Reds. Due to a Willy Adames fielding error earlier in the frame, an unearned run was charged to Verlander after the righty was pulled in the sixth. With a scheduled matchup in Philadelphia on tap for early next week, Verlander will be tough to trust from a fantasy perspective for that game.
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Giants' Justin Verlander: Short outing versus Mariners
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Verlander allowed three runs on five hits and two walks while striking out two over 2.1 innings, taking a no-decision in Friday's extra-innings win over the Mariners.
Both teams dipped into their bullpens early, and the Giants had to because Verlander wasn't pitching well early on. He threw 44 of 65 pitches for strikes but gave up a solo home run to Julio Rodriguez in the first inning and got in more trouble in the third. The veteran right-hander's first year with the Giants is off to a mediocre beginning -- he's allowed five runs on 11 hits and three walks while striking out seven over 7.1 innings across two starts. He's tentatively scheduled for a home start versus the Reds next week.
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Giants' Justin Verlander: Makes Giants spring debut
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Verlander gave up one run (on a home run) over two innings with a strikeout and walk in his San Francisco spring debut Monday. "Overall, I'm healthy," Verlander told MLB.com. "I thought the velo was OK for the first start of the spring. Better than what I was doing last year, so that's a big improvement. Overall, I was pleased."
Verlander battled shoulder and neck injuries in 2024, the latter of which he's hinted at returning too soon from and could have played a factor in him finishing the year with a 5.48 ERA and 1.38 WHIP over 90.1 innings. It's a good sign he's fully healthy as spring training begins. However, at age 42 this season it's not a given he'll return to anything close to his pre-2024 form.
