Justin Verlander has not shied away from discussing his recent performance.
On Friday, he admitted that the latest defeat was “frankly embarrassing.”
At 42, he’s not quite the same pitcher who entered the MLB two decades ago, and his performance this season has been, well, below par.
In a loss to the A’s, Verlander gave up six runs over three innings, which pushed his ERA from 4.84 to 5.44 in his 14th start. He still hasn’t managed a win this season.
In his start against the struggling Rockies on May 1, he managed only seven outs.
“I know I can still succeed at this level,” he told reporters, reflecting on the challenges he faces. “It’s not just about being deceptive anymore. I need to figure out how to improve. Mechanically, my pitching isn’t confounding batters like it should.”
This year, the Giants have only managed four wins during Verlander’s starts. It’s also worth noting that he won’t play in the All-Star Game for the third year in a row, having participated in nine during his first 17 seasons.
Verlander pointed out that opponents have developed effective game plans against him, saying, “It feels like anyone can hit me easily right now. I should be able to get a fastball by hitters, but I’m just unable to do that.”
He plans to keep working on his mechanics, emphasizing that he has faced similar challenges before. He recalls having to “throw a s-t at the wall” sometimes to find what works.
Interestingly, this isn’t the pitcher who helped the Astros win the World Series in 2017 and 2022, nor is it the Verlander that paired with Max Scherzer atop the Mets’ rotation at the beginning of the 2023 season.
Now, he finds himself as another veteran pitcher, alternating between some rough outings and decent starts. The underlying issues remain a concern that he must address “quickly.”
