Atop the raised circle of earth that has defined his professional existence, there is only one thing left for Justin Verlander to accomplish.
The 41-year-old pitcher has three Cy Youngs and an MVP award. He wears two World Series rings. He is tied for 10th on the MLB all-time strikeout list. And while there is always another watch to buy, Verlander is currently the highest-earning player in MLB history at a whopping $404,181,666. Five years after throwing his last pitch, Verlander will be entering Cooperstown. His legacy is secure.
The only thing left to do — besides, of course, another parade with the Astros — is the quest for 300 career wins.
Verlander, who currently has 260 wins, would become the 25th pitcher to reach that milestone. More importantly, both for baseball history and for Verlander himself, he would likely become the last player to reach 300 wins.
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For most of the 20th century, the 300-win plateau was a measure of longevity and dominance among pitchers. It was a two-front war: confounding the best hitters in the world while turning back the clock. Only the best of the best could reach such heights. Not since 45-year-old San Francisco Giants pitcher Randy Johnson eluded the Washington Nationals on a rainy afternoon in 2009 has a pitcher topped 300 wins.
That’s because the game has changed. Bullpens are packed in 90-degree heat. Starting pitchers are being pulled faster than ever. Pitch counts are being monitored and respected. The ever-increasing number of postseason pitchers means more teams are resting for October instead of squeezing the juice out of the lemon. The average length of an MLB start has decreased by a full inning over the past 50 years, from 6.24 to 5.25. It’s hard to win a game if you get showered in the fifth inning.
Verlander, Max Scherzer (216) and Clayton Kershaw (212) are the only current major league pitchers to have surpassed 200 wins. Gerrit Cole, considered one of the game’s best pitchers over the past five years, has “only” 151 career wins. Cole turns 34 this weekend. Only 18 active pitchers have surpassed 100 wins.
Barring any changes to league rules, MLB has discussed implementing it a starting pitcher for at least six inningsAccording to ESPN — it is extremely unlikely that a pitcher will have 300 wins in the next few decades.
This milestone is all the more interesting for Verlander. The norm is about to change, if it hasn’t already, as 250 wins becomes 300. A less sexy number but an equally impressive milestone in context. Verlander wants to be the last pioneer of a bygone era, the brave old man trying to fend off a hurricane with a stick. the last one carries weight.
“I’ve dedicated my life to this game,” Verlander said. said last summer“For me it’s like running a marathon and…