Verlander announces future plans after Astros' elimination

Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander. Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

41-year-old Justin Verlander announces future plans following Astros' playoff elimination

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 10/5/24

As he was left off the team's roster , starting pitcher Justin Verlander didn't get a chance to contribute during the Houston Astros' AL wild-card series against his former team, the Detroit Tigers.

Despite having home-field advantage, the Astros dropped both games at Minute Maid Park and were eliminated from the playoffs on Wednesday. The defeat ended a streak of making it to at least the ALCS in seven straight years.

The 41-year-old Verlander spoke after Wednesday's 5-2 loss and said he plans to continue his legendary career on the mound in 2025.

Justin Verlander: “I want to continue to pitch, to compete. I’m not ready to step away yet.”
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) October 2, 2024

The three-time AL Cy Young Award winner had an uneven 2024 season that saw him finish 5-6 with a career-worst 5.48 ERA across 90 1/3 innings covering 17 starts. Verlander battled multiple shoulder issues throughout the year to pitch the fewest innings of his career outside of his two-start MLB debut in 2005 and the 2020 and 2021 campaigns after he underwent Tommy John surgery following one outing in the pandemic-altered season.

As The Athletic's C. Trent Rosecrans explained, Verlander's innings total is key to his situation in 2025. Rosecrans noted that because his 90 1/3 innings were short of the 140 frames he needed for a vesting $35-million option for next season, Verlander will enter free agency.

No matter how long the 2011 AL MVP's career on the diamond lasts, Verlander has locked up his spot in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

The righty is considered one of the best starting pitchers of the 21st century. While this year was a rare struggle, he was strong last season with a 13-8 record, 3.22 ERA, and 1.13 WHIP, and he won his most recent AL Cy Young Award in 2022 at 39 years old.

If it's up to him, MLB hasn't seen the last of Justin Verlander.

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