Verlander Stars in Giants’ 13-2 Victory After 121 Pitches

SAN FRANCISCO — Justin Verlander made his mark on Sunday, striking out 10 batters in five innings during the San Francisco Giants‘ 13-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox. Despite throwing 121 pitches, the 42-year-old right-hander helped secure his third win of the season, marking the 265th of his career.

With the Giants leading 7-0 in the fifth inning, Manager Bob Melvin opted to leave Verlander on the mound, as he reached his pitch limit. Verlander clinched the inning by striking out two batters, showcasing his resolve and competitiveness.

“In a day you feel like you’re penalizing someone if they throw 100 pitches, to throw 120 in five innings, he didn’t want to hear anything about coming out of the game,” Melvin told the San Francisco Chronicle. “There’s a lot to learn from him.”

This performance was notable, as it marked the second-most pitches thrown in the majors this season. The only player to throw more was Zach Williams, who threw 126 pitches on August 6 against the Atlanta Braves.

While Verlander now holds a 3-10 record this season, an impressive strikeout performance lowered his ERA to 4.29. He acknowledged the challenges of the game, admitting it’s tough to consider a five-inning outing a great start.

“I’m not sure I go home and say that was a great start,” Verlander said. “End of day, I think they did a great job battling off good pitches and fouling off stuff.”

Verlander struggled early with the Giants after joining the team in the offseason but has recently turned his season around, achieving back-to-back wins.

This game marked his first outing with 10 strikeouts since August 23, 2022, while he was still with the Houston Astros. The last time he threw 120-plus pitches was June 19, 2018, when he threw 122 against the New York Yankees.