Skip to content

Verlander laughs off retirement rumors, plans to pitch for 'long time'

Bob Levey / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Justin Verlander has no intentions of retiring anytime soon.

The injured Houston Astros right-hander scheduled a surprise Zoom call with reporters on Friday, which immediately led to online speculation about the 38-year-old hanging up his cleats for good.

Though Verlander said he "absolutely" wants to pitch this season, he acknowledged it's not guaranteed.

"There's a lot of things that have to go perfect from now until then for that to even be a discussion," Verlander said, according to Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle.

He also said he won't be able to return as a starter even if he's able to pitch before the end of the campaign.

The two-time Cy Young winner is throwing again after undergoing Tommy John surgery in September, but he's limited to throwing only fastballs.

Verlander has made just one start since the beginning of the 2020 campaign.

He's earning $33 million this season, which is the final year of an extension he signed with the Astros in 2019.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox