Pete Rose: "We’d have never lost if we had Justin Verlander going out there every 4th or 5th day"

Baseball icon Pete Rose was all praise for Justin Verlander in a recent interview. His glowing comments came in anticipation of the World Series clash between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Houston Astros. Verlander is scheduled to pitch in Game 1 and will be making his fifth career Fall Classic appearance.

".@PeteRose_14, who was on the Phillies team that beat the Astros in the 1980 NLCS: “@JustinVerlander, I wish I had him on my team. It wouldn’t have been fair if the Big Red Machine had Justin Verlander..We’d have never lost if we had Verlander going out there every 4th or 5th day”" - @ Mark Berman

The legendary Pete Rose was a part of the Phillies team that overcame the Astros in the 1980 NLCS and subsequently won the World Series. He shared that his "Big Red Machine" Cincinnati Reds team of the 1970s would have conquered it all had they had Justin Verlander.

Pete Rose's Cincinnati team has won six National League titles and two World Series titles during the 70s. The former hitter's side was considered the most dominant team of that decade.

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Justin Verlander's World Series curse

Verlander in the World Series during his time with the Detroit Tigers.

Justin Verlander is perhaps one of the most durable and decorated pitchers of the modern era. However, there is one thing he hasn't done: win a World Series game.

The 39-year-old will be making his fifth World Series appearance (third for the Astros). Nonetheless, he is carrying an 0-6 record with a 5.68 ERA in seven starts. Across 38 innings pitched, he has surrendered nine home runs and 14 walks. He has just 39 strikeouts, a far cry from his other 25 postseason starts wherein he has a 15-5 record with a 3.05 ERA.

With luck seemingly not on his side, Verlander will nonetheless aim for gold at the 2022 World Series. The Houston Astros are set to go toe-to-toe with the Philadelphia Phillies starting October 29.