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On a sun-splashed afternoon at Oracle Park, Justin Verlander etched his name deeper into baseball history — even if the game itself was one he’d rather forget. The 42-year-old right-hander struck out the side in the first inning of the Giants’ 8-0 loss to the Washington Nationals on Sunday, becoming just the 10th pitcher in MLB history to reach 3,500 career strikeouts.
The milestone moment came when Nathaniel Lowe tipped a 95 mph fastball into catcher Patrick Bailey’s glove for strike three. The crowd of over 40,000 rose to its feet as Verlander tipped his cap in appreciation. “I was happy to get there, happy to have a moment with the fans,” Verlander said. “It’s a cool milestone. I really appreciate what it’s taken to get there.”
That celebratory buzz quickly faded. Verlander surrendered four runs in the second inning — a two-run double to James Wood followed by a two-run homer from CJ Abrams — and another tally in the fourth. He finished with five earned runs on a season-high 11 hits over five innings, dropping to 1-9 with a 4.53 ERA in 20 starts this year.
Manager Bob Melvin didn’t sugarcoat the performance. “We had 40,000 people here and we didn’t give them anything to root for the entire game other than that [milestone],” he said. “Unfortunately, that probably is as disappointing a game as we’ve had all year.”
Giants dropping further and further out of playoff contention
The Nationals dominated from start to finish, outhitting San Francisco 17-3. Left-hander MacKenzie Gore, who had been roughed up in recent outings, blanked the Giants over six innings with 10 strikeouts. No Giants runner advanced past first base all day.
Despite the rough outing, Verlander is in rare company. His 3,503 career strikeouts place him just six behind Walter Johnson for ninth on the all-time list, with Gaylord Perry (3,534) next in reach. Only Nolan Ryan, Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens, Steve Carlton, Bert Blyleven, Tom Seaver, Don Sutton, Perry, and Johnson have surpassed the 3,500 mark.
Verlander pointed out that his underlying performance metrics are similar to his 2022 Cy Young season, when he went 18-4 with a 1.75 ERA for Houston. “Stuff’s great, stuff’s fine,” he said. “The results have been frustrating.”
Now in his 20th season, Verlander has no plans to retire — provided he stays healthy. “I’d like to [pitch in 2026],” he said. “If something goes really wrong, I’m not going to rehab a surgery or anything… but I think physically, I’ve shown some good health this season. The ball’s rolling in the right direction, and I would like to continue pitching.”
Signed to a one-year, $15 million deal last offseason, Verlander will be a free agent this winter. While his recent numbers may not match his Hall of Fame peak, his durability, veteran presence, and still-competitive arsenal could entice contenders seeking rotation depth. For now, the Giants will hope their ace’s next historic moment comes alongside a win — something both Verlander and San Francisco badly need as they chase a postseason berth.
