Justin Verlander Gets Truthful on Just How Long He Would Like to Pitch

The Houston Astros veteran is looking to accomplish a milestone before he calls it quits.

Aug 21, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander (35) warms up before pitching against the Boston Red Sox at Minute Maid Park. / Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

The Houston Astros welcomed Justin Verlander back on August 21. The veteran right-hander tossed 5.0 innings in his return, allowing two earned runs on four hits.

Verlander, 41, is in the later stages of his career. However, he's still throwing baseball at a high enough level to continue playing. He owns a 3.92 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and has struck out 57 hitters in 62.0 innings pitched during his 11 appearances in 2024.

He's dealt with some injuries in recent seasons, but he's still been excellent when he's healthy.

Verlander will hit free agency in the offseason. It's uncertain who he'll sign with or how much money he'll get, but the Virginia native should have multiple suitors, including a reunion with the Astros.

The three-time Cy Young Award winner made it known during ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles on August 25 that he plans to continue pitching for the foreseeable future due to a milestone he's looking to reach.

“Only time will tell, I’m not trying to put a cap on anything,” Verlander said. “I put in all the work behind the scenes. There’s a big, shiny number that I would really like to get to that’s going to be a few years away. I’ve got a lot of goals.”

Verlander didn't specify the "big, shiny number," but it's obvious that he's seeking 300 career wins. The 300-win club is an exclusive group, with just 24 pitchers in the history of the game accomplishing the feat.

While 300 wins won't change much for Verlander in terms of the Hall of Fame, it'd put him in even higher regard in terms of all-time pitcher rankings.

The Old Dominion University product is a guaranteed Hall of Famer. He's an MVP, Rookie of the Year Award winner, Triple Crown winner, nine-time All-Star, two-time ERA Title winner, and a two-time World Series champion.

There aren't many pitchers in Major League Baseball history with similar awards as a pitcher, and his counting stats are just as good, if not better, than anyone in the past two decades.

He's been a huge part of Houston's success, but one could even argue that his best days came before he wore an Astros jersey. Verlander has a career record of 260-144 with a 3.25 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and has struck out 3,399 hitters in 3,387 1/3 innings pitched.

Depending on the contract, Houston would be wise to re-sign him in free agency this offseason.