Justin Verlander is trading out one orange uniform for another. After a lengthy free agency, the future Hall of Fame pitcher signed a one-year deal for $15 million to join the San Francisco Giants.
Verlander is coming off a disappointing year in which his ERA ballooned to 5.48 and he had just a 0.7 fWAR. He hit free agency without a ton of fanfare, but the Giants swooped in to add him to their rotation.

This comes after they lost Blake Snell to the Los Angeles Dodgers. It's not a one-to-one swap since Snell is more impactful at this time, but it does fill the void. Here's what San Fran's rotation should look like in the coming season:
- Logan Webb
- Robbie Ray
- Justin Verlander
- Jordan Hicks
- Kyle Harrison
The Giants also have Hayden Birdsong and Landen Roupp who could factor in, but as of now, the above five-man rotation is pretty likely. It may not be as dominant as it was a year ago with Snell on board, but teams can certainly do worse than a future Hall of Famer pitching third in their rotation.
Giants take one-year swing on Justin Verlander
If the 2024 version of Justin Verlander (5.48 ERA and all) is the version the San Francisco Giants get, then they will have failed with this free-agent signing. However, since it's just a one-year deal, it's hard to fault them for taking a swing.
At $15 million, Verlander isn't sending the payroll skyrocketing, and he's only on the books for one year. If he and the Giants sputter, he can always be traded at the deadline. Starters are always in high demand.

Injuries played a role, but Verlander was not the same pitcher he used to be in 2024. He recorded that shocking 5.48 ERA with 74 strikeouts in 90.1 innings and went 5-6 with the Houston Astros.
For his career, though he has a 3.30 ERA and 1.13 WHIP, and he won the Cy Young two years ago. He is 41, however, so his best days may firmly be behind him.