On Wednesday afternoon, Justin Verlander made his fifteenth begin of the season for the San Francisco Giants, taking the mound towards the Philadelphia Phillies. Regardless of tossing six sturdy innings and placing out seven, he was handed the loss as San Francisco fell 13-0 at dwelling. Verlander allowed 4 runs, however solely two have been earned, and gave up seven hits with no walks or hit batters. He confronted 25 batters, surrendered only one dwelling run, and completed the outing with a stat line that didn’t replicate the ultimate rating.
Following the Giants’ 13-0 loss to the Phillies on Wednesday afternoon, Verlander’s youthful brother, Ben Verlander — host of the Flippin’ Bats podcast — took to X (previously Twitter) to vent his frustration over how the veteran pitcher’s season has been unfolding.
“I’m going to vent.
Sure it’s my brother. Sure I’m biased.
However Justin’s stats 100% don’t inform the story of this season.
He’s had many superb begins with really among the worst luck I’ve ever seen. It is mindless to me. Actually irritating to observe.
He’s nonetheless throwing 97mph with nasty offspeed.
That’s the top of me venting. Thanks.”
Verlander, a two-time World Sequence champion and future Corridor of Famer, signed a one-year cope with the Giants value $15 million earlier this 12 months in January. Up to now, the outcomes haven’t matched expectations. By means of 15 begins, he has an 0-7 document, 4.70 ERA, and 1.42 WHIP — numbers that paint a tough image till you look deeper at MLB superior stats like his 4.16 FIP (Fielding Impartial Pitching, which removes protection and luck from the equation) and .316 BABIP.
That elevated BABIP (batting common on balls in play) suggests Verlander is affected by poor luck and weak defensive help. Throughout Wednesday’s begin, he gave up solely two earned runs over six innings, however defensive lapses and 0 run help sank his outing — once more.
The Giants’ offensive struggles throughout Verlander’s begins are particularly puzzling when contrasted with their sturdy 51-43 document. Regardless of sitting in second place and firmly in playoff competition within the NL West, the workforce constantly falters when the previous MVP with the Detroit Tigers in 2011 takes the mound — additional supporting Ben’s declare about his brother’s powerful luck.
This rising disparity between surface-level stats and underlying efficiency has fueled ongoing debates round MLB superior stats. As Verlander continues to the touch 97 mph and strike out almost eight batters per 9 innings, followers and analysts alike are beginning to surprise if his winless season is extra about unhealthy timing than unhealthy pitching.
His youthful brother’s emotional protection provides a human layer to the numbers, a reminder that even elite athletes cope with narratives past their management. With the membership within the thick of the NL postseason race, turning Verlander’s luck round might be key to their second-half surge.