Justin Verlander on When He'd Like to Retire: 'Right Now, I'm Thinking 45'
Houston Astros ace Justin Verlander is enjoying the best year of his MLB career, so it's little surprise the 2011 American League MVP and Cy Young winner envisions pitching well into his 40s.
"In my head, right now, I'm thinking 45," the 35-year-old Verlander said of when he may retire, per MLB.com's Jon Paul Morosi. "I don't know if that's realistic. I'm going to go as long as I can, until something changes."
Verlander is well on his way toward a second Cy Young Award based on his start to the 2018 season. He leads all qualified pitchers in WAR (3.2), per FanGraphs, and he's pitching better than he did during his best years with the Detroit Tigers.
Through 12 starts, Verlander is 7-2 with a 1.11 ERA and a 2.21 FIP, per FanGraphs. He's also averaging 10.8 strikeouts and 1.7 walks per nine innings, both of which are on pace to be career bests.
Playing until age 45 is a lofty goal but one that is attainable. Randy Johnson and Roger Clemens both retired after turning 45, while Nolan Ryan was 46 when he made his final MLB start.
Health will be a big factor in whether Verlander can pitch another 10 years. He told Morosi he thought his career was in jeopardy because he felt discomfort in his throwing arm during a start in August 2014. But Verlander avoided major surgery, and he recounted how he approached the subsequent offseason with a different mindset.
"I learned a ton about my body and maintenance," Verlander said. "Now I take it upon myself to maintain everything that I gained in that offseason. If some kinks in the chain pop up along the way, I'll call [physical therapist Annie Gow] and talk to her. I'll address it myself. I know a lot of my weaknesses. I address them almost daily, to try to keep on top of it. Obviously, I got into that position [before]. I want to stay away from going back."
Since becoming an everyday MLB player in 2006, Verlander has made 30-plus starts in 11 out of 12 seasons. Combine that durability with his continued dominance, and pitching until he's 45 isn't out of the question.
