SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Justin Verlander pitched a forgettable home debut for the San Francisco Giants.
The 42-year-old right-hander, in January, was done after just 2 1/3 innings Friday against the Seattle Mariners in the Giants’ 2025 opener at Oracle Park.
Verlander retired only seven batters. He surrendered three runs and five hits with two strikeouts and two walks, throwing 44 of 65 pitches for strikes. He left with the game tied at 3.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner and nine-time All-Star with 262 career victories after an injury-plagued 2024 season with Houston in which he made only 17 starts.
Giants manager Bob Melvin said before the game how happy he was to give the ball to Verlander for this moment, a day the club brought in some of the franchise’s stars to honor the 25th year of the waterfront ballpark that opened on April 11, 2000.
“Kind of the timing of it was pretty cool, too,” Melvin said. “(Logan) Webby got the opening day and then Justin gets the home opener. I don’t know if it could have been timed better. I’m sure he’s looking forward to it and I know our fans are looking forward to it. When you add players like him in the offseason, to be able to kind of show them off on opening day I think is kind of cool.”
Verlander made just his second regular-season start and appearance at Oracle Park in his 20-year career and first since June 16, 2008, with Detroit. This was his 40th career start against the Mariners; he was 22-10 with a 2.98 ERA in those previous matchups.
The only other teams he has made 40 or more starts against are Cleveland (57), Chicago White Sox (48), Kansas City (46) and Minnesota (40).
___
AP MLB:
