San Francisco Giants right-hander Justin Verlander is winless in his first 13 starts this year, which is the longest streak by a Giants pitcher since at least 1901. It increases the odds that Verlander won't reach the 300-win milestone for his career since he's 42 years old and needs 38 wins to get there. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal points out that Verlander hasn't been terrible, though, as his park- and league-adjusted ERA is only 9% below league average, and he also missed time with a strained right pectoral muscle. "I feel like I kind of found something mechanically," Verlander said. It remains to be seen if he's right, as his average fastball velocity of 93.9 mph is below league average, and his strikeout rate is in the 26th percentile. His xERA of 5.09 is higher than his actual 4.26 ERA. Fantasy managers are probably less convinced than Verlander is that he can turn things around in 2025.

The San Francisco Giants reinstated right-hander Justin Verlander from the paternity list on Monday, according to San Francisco Chronicle's Shayna Rubin. Verlander was away from the team over the weekend with the team facing the Boston Red Sox, but he didn't miss a turn through the starting rotation. His next outing will come on Tuesday in an excellent fantasy matchup against the Miami Marlins. Verlander missed a month of action with a pectoral injury and returned to face the Cleveland Guardians last week to allow four runs (three earned) on seven hits (one homer) while walking one and striking out six in 4 2/3 innings for his fourth loss of the season. The future Hall of Famer has yet to win a game in his first year in San Fran and is sporting a 4.45 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and 47:22 K:BB in 56 2/3 innings over 11 starts. There's a good chance he'll pick up his first win of the year against the Fish.

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Justin Verlander was placed on the paternity list on Friday. The 42-year-old is still expected to make his next start, which will be on Tuesday at home against Miami. The 3x Cy Young award winner already missed a month earlier this season with a pectoral injury, making 11 starts thus far, going 0-4 with a 4.45 ERA (4.70 FIP), 1.43 WHIP, and a 10.1 percent K-BB% across 56 2/3 IP. While a matchup with the Marlins sounds easy, the team is just outside the top 10 in terms of fewest strikeouts per game and team batting average, so this could be a tough test for the aging hurler. Infielder Brett Wisely was recalled from Triple-A to take Verlander's place while on leave.

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Justin Verlander allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits over 4 2/3 innings in Wednesday's 4-2 loss to the Cleveland Guardians. The veteran walked one and struck out six, falling to 0-4 in his return from a pectoral injury. Verlander gave up a run in the first frame on two consecutive one-out hits, but would quickly end the inning thereafter, limiting the damage. However, Cleveland got to him again in the fourth when a fielding error and a Lane Thomas single preceded a Daniel Schneemann three-run blast that'd prove all the Guardians needed to suss out a win on the day. It wasn't the 42-year-old's best, but it could have gone far worse. He'll look for better results when he next toes the slab, which projects to come next week against the Miami Marlins at home.

The San Francisco Giants are saying that right-hander Justin Verlander (pectoral) will come off the 15-day injured list to start on Wednesday against the Cleveland Guardians. Despite the fact that Verlander hasn't pitched in a major-league game since May 18, he is skipping a minor-league rehab assignment after throwing a 65-pitch simulated game last Wednesday and a bullpen session over the weekend. The 42-year-old future Hall of Famer will an even riskier fantasy streaming option in his first start back and will probably be capped around 80 to 90 pitches on Wednesday against the Guardians, a team ranked 24th in the league with a .678 OPS. Verlander is no longer the dominant ace he was in his prime, but he can still be useful as a streamer in deeper leagues in the right matchups. He's returning to a 4.33 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 41 K's in 52 innings over his 10 starts.

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Justin Verlander (pectoral) appears to be on the verge of returning to the starting rotation. Verlander threw a bullpen session on Saturday and reportedly felt good. Afterwards, manager Bob Melvin said they expect Verlander to rejoin the rotation next homestand. The veteran right-hander has been sidelined since the middle of May due to a pectoral issue. He wasn't pitching great before that, but the Giants will certainly take the help. Verlander is worth a look in deep leagues at the very least once he's back in the mix. The Giants are uncertain where exactly Verlander is going to slide into the rotation.

San Francisco Giants right-hander Justin Verlander (pectoral) threw a 65-pitch simulated game at Coors Field on Wednesday and could rejoin the big-league starting rotation when the team returns home to face the Cleveland Guardians from June 17-19, according to MLB.com. Verlander has been on the 15-day injured list since May 22 with a strained right pectoral muscle, but he's on the cups of returning to the Gigantes' starting rotation. Before his injury, the future Hall of Famer looked like a pitcher nearing the end of his career, going 0-3 with a 4.33 ERA and 1.40 WHIP with 41 strikeouts and 21 walks in 52 innings over his 10 starts. He currently ranks in just the 25th percentile in strikeout rate, 56th percentile in whiff rate and 12th percentile in barrel rate. His opponent's expected batting average is also in the 19th percentile. Injuries and age have sapped Verlander of his dominance.

San Francisco Giants right-hander Justin Verlander (pectoral) is expected to throw another simulated game on Wednesday at Coors Field in Colorado before the team's game against the Rockies, according to MLB.com. Verlander continues to recover from a strained right pectoral muscle that landed him on the 15-day injured list on May 22. Barring a setback, the 42-year-old three-time Cy Young winner is expected to rejoin the team's starting rotation in the middle of June. He tossed 35 to 40 pitches during his first simulated game this past Friday and should be expected to build on that workload this week. If Verlander avoids a setback on Wednesday, he could be cleared to come off the IL without going on a minor-league rehab assignment. The nine-time All-Star is no longer the dominant pitcher he once was and was 0-3 with a 4.33 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and weak 18.2% strikeout rate before his injury.

San Francisco Giants right-handed pitcher Justin Verlander (pectoral) was able to complete a 35-4 pitch simulated game on Friday and is set to undergo further evaluation on Saturday. The 42-year-old was placed on the 15-day injured list on May 22 with a right pectoral strain and appears to be progressing well through his recovery. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status as he could be cleared to take the next steps in his process. The team has not decided whether he will need to complete a rehab assignment before returning. Before the injury, Verlander posted a modest 4.33 ERA with a 1.40 WHIP across 52 innings. He tallied only 41 strikeouts. Given his struggles through the early part of the season, he is only worth rostering in deeper formats for the time being.

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Justin Verlander (pectoral) was able to throw a successful simulated game on Friday. Verlander threw around 35 pitches over two innings of work during this session. The 42-year-old reportedly felt good and could miss a rehab assignment and rejoin the Giants rotation. The organization might wait a few days and see how Verlander feels, but it sounds like the veteran right-hander is ready to return. Verlander has been sidelined since mid-May due to a pectoral strain. He's not a great fantasy option, but is worth a look in deep leagues.

San Francisco Giants right-hander Justin Verlander (pectoral) is scheduled to throw another bullpen session on Tuesday at Oracle Park before the game against the division-rival San Diego Padres, according to MLB.com's Justice delos Santos. Verlander threw 40 pitches during a bullpen session last Tuesday as he recovers from a strained right pectoral muscle. It's still unknown if the 42-year-old future Hall of Famer will go on a minor-league rehab assignment, but we could have more clarity on that after his second bullpen session on Tuesday. Verlander is no longer the dominant pitcher who won three Cy Young awards, and he's also been battling injuries in the twilight of his career. Before his injury in his first year in the Bay Area, Verlander had gone 0-3 with a 4.33 ERA (4.77 FIP) and 1.40 WHIP with 41 K's and 21 walks in 52 innings over 10 starts.

San Francisco Giants right-hander Justin Verlander (pectoral) threw a bullpen session on Tuesday that consisted of around 40 pitches and said all went well and that he's "trending forward." Verlander said he has a couple more boxes to check before he can determine if he'll start after his injured-list stint. Depending on how Verlander recovers from his bullpen session, the Giants may decide that he can rejoin the starting rotation next week without going on a minor-league rehab assignment. Before being placed on the IL, the 42-year-old three-time Cy Young winner and nine-time All-Star saw a drop in velocity and a lack of control of his pitches. He's already sporting a weak 18.2% strikeout rate and struck out nine while walking eight in 15 innings in his last three starts. Verlander will be a shaky fantasy play in his first start back from the IL.

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Justin Verlander (pectoral) was able to throw on Saturday and is set to throw a bullpen session on Tuesday. The veteran right-hander was placed on the 15-day injured list earlier this week due to a right pectoral strain. However, it appears the 42-year-old has already begun progressing well and is nearing the next steps in his recovery process. Before hitting the injured list, Verlander logged 52 innings of work to the tune of a 4.33 ERA with a 1.40 WHIP. During this stint, Verlander struck out 41 batters and served up 21 walks. Under the hood, he has generated a high 5.07 xERA with a .275 xBA, placing him in the 17th and 20th percentile, respectively. While he remains sidelined, Hayden Birdsong should continue to see opportunities in the rotation.

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Justin Verlander (pectoral) will be placed on the injured list with pectoral discomfort that bothered him in his last start, reports Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area. He wasn't feeling quite ready to make his next scheduled start on Saturday, but the Giants are confident that he will only miss two starts. It's unclear who will take his spot in the rotation, but the Giants do have two starters turned relievers already in the bullpen in Kyle Harrison and Jordan Hicks. Verlander has so far gone 0-3 this year with a 4.33 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 41 strikeouts in 52 innings over his 10 starts in his first year in the Bay Area.

San Francisco Giants right-hander Justin Verlander (pectoral) is dealing with a slight pectoral injury, but manager Bob Melvin is optimistic that the veteran hurler will make his next start, which is scheduled for this Saturday against the Washington Nationals. Verlander showed diminished velocity in his start on Sunday against the Athletics while allowing two earned runs on three hits while walking a season-high five batters and striking out only one in four innings of work. The 42-year-old former MVP and three-time Cy Young winner said his pec issue definitely affected his command in the no-decision against the A's, which won't endear him to fantasy managers looking to start him this weekend. Not only does Verlander have a weak 18.2% strikeout rate this year, but he's walking 9.3% of the batters he's faced as well, the highest mark of his career since 2008.

According to Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area, San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Justin Verlander was limited by "something physically" in Sunday's 3-2 win against the Athletics. The veteran hurler could only get through four innings in the victory, yielding three hits and two earned runs, while striking out one and walking five. Verlander noted that he was dealing with a physical issue that the team was aware of before the outing. "I was able to work through and didn't feel like I was going to put myself at risk for injury, but clearly it was affecting my velocity and mechanics." Encouragingly, he also stated that he's "pretty optimistic" about being able to make his next start this weekend. Still, his velocity was down a few ticks, and he declined to further elaborate on the affected body part. It's something to monitor, as shoulder and neck issues hindered him in 2024.

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Justin Verlander lasted just 2 1/3 innings in Friday's 10-9 victory over the Mariners in extra innings. The veteran allowed three earned runs on five hits and two walks while striking out two. The nine-time All-Star threw 65 pitches in the limited time he was on the mound before being pulled. The righty has combined for less than eight innings over his first two starts, owning a 6.14 ERA and a gaudy 1.91 WHIP along with a 3:7 BB:K. With diminishing strikeout rates for four consecutive seasons and corresponding increases in ERA and WHIP, the three-time Cy Young winner has become a dicey fantasy play. He'll face off with the Reds at home in his next turn through the rotation.

San Francisco Giants right-hander Justin Verlander (back, shoulder) said on a video call with the media that he started throwing earlier this offseason and is up to 92 mph and is feeling good. Verlander was limited to 17 starts with the Houston Astros last season in his 19th year in the big leagues due to back and shoulder ailments, but he said he's addressed the physical issues that cut his season short in 2024. The 41-year-old future Hall of Famer signed a one-year, $15 million deal with the Gigantes last week and will hope to stay healthier in his 20th MLB campaign. The three-time Cy Young winner and former MVP will be hoping to rebound in his new digs in a good pitcher's park in the Bay Area in 2025, but with his strikeout rate continuing to fall and with injuries now a big issue, fantasy managers may want to temper expectations.

According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the San Francisco Giants have signed free agent starting pitcher Justin Verlander to a one-year contract pending physical. The 41-year-old had a disappointing season last season with the Astros as he posted a 5.48 ERA and a 1.38 across 90 1/3 innings of work. The right-hander opened the season on the injured list with a shoulder injury and then missed time due to a neck injury. However, during 2022 and 2023, Verlander held a cumulative 2.45 ERA and 0.98 WHIP and was the AL Cy Young winner in 2022. Last season, the veteran saw his K rate drop to a low 18.7% rate but he continued to suppress hard contact as he generated a strong 32.5% hard-hit rate and a 6.9% barrel rate. Fantasy managers should expect Verlander to have a spot in the starting rotation throughout the 2025 campaign and is worth a look in deeper formats as he hopes to bounce back from an injury riddled 2024.

According to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, multiple teams are interested in free agent starting pitcher Justin Verlander. Verlander had a disappointing campaign last summer, posting a high 5.48 ERA and a 1,38 WHIP across 90 1/3 innings of work. The 41-year-old opened the season in the injured list with a shoulder injury and then missed time later in the summer due to a neck injury. Last season, Verlander saw his strikeout rate continue to decrease and walk rate climb, in relation to his 2023 production. In addition, the right-hander generated a .301 xwOBA which was his highest mark since his 2017 season. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Verlander's status as we approach Spring Training. Seeing that teams are interested suggests he will likely sign with a club in 2025, but fantasy managers should draft him with caution given his injury troubles last season and declining metrics.