Justin Verlander is throwing his final career start for the Tigers on Saturday, closing the book on an incredible 21-year run, but the real conversation is just how much of an all-time legend Cooperstown is getting five years from now. We’re not just talking about a Hall of Famer, we’re talking about one of the very best to ever step on the mound, period. This guy isn’t just one of the best of his generation, he’s one of the best *ever*, even among the legends already enshrined.
Unpacking a Generational Arm
Let’s just look at the resume: three American League Cy Young awards, an AL Most Valuable Player award, and he was an All-Star in half his years after his first full season in 2006. Think about that consistency! He missed more bats than almost anyone in the history of the game across a mind-boggling 556 starts. This is a 21-year veteran who has consistently dominated. Yeah, he had a couple of stumbles during his peak, and his 40s weren’t quite the absolute fire of his 20s or 30s, but the overall picture? It’s one of historic dominance, plain and simple. His career ERA sits at a rock-solid 3.33 across all those seasons. The dude even rebounded from a tough start to 2025, finishing with an above-average ERA as a 42-year-old with San Francisco last summer. Injuries were the only thing that could even slow him down.
The Volume vs. Value Equation
Okay, so here’s where it gets wild: you know how many pitchers have recorded even one out in MLB history, going all the way back to the 19th century? We’re talking 12,077 different arms, with 12,115 total guys taking the mound. Verlander, if he just gets a single out this Saturday, will rank 65th all-time in innings pitched. Think about that! If he somehow, against all odds after being on the IL, battles through six innings, he’d be tied with Hall of Famer CC Sabathia at 64th. Like, seriously, what if?! This dude is in the top 0.005% of all pitchers who have ever stepped on a mound just by sheer volume of outs and innings. That’s insane.
And it’s not just volume, it’s *quality* volume. Look at Jacob deGrom: active leader in ERA at 2.69, which is absolutely ridiculous. Verlander’s at 3.33 for his career. But the innings difference between Verlander and deGrom? It’s 1,873 innings! That’s more than deGrom’s *entire career output* of 1,698 ⅓ innings. Verlander’s been nearly twice as valuable just because he’s been out there dominating for so long. It’s the ultimate “health is a skill” argument right there. He’s one of only four pitchers from the 21st century to crack the top 100 in innings, joining Sabathia, Mark Buehrle, and future HOFer Zack Greinke. Even Buehrle, considered the “worst” of that foursome, never had a below-average season until his final one, and even then threw almost 200 innings leading the AL in walks per nine. That’s the company Verlander keeps.
Five years from now, when Verlander hits the ballot, we’re not just talking about a Hall of Famer. We’re talking about an inner-circle, all-time great. Get ready for the induction ceremony, baseball fans, because a true titan is about to enter Cooperstown.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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