Verlander intends to pitch in 2025: 'Not ready to step away yet'

Justin Verlander isn't ready to retire.

The 41-year-old right-hander said he intends to pitch next season after the Houston Astros were eliminated from the playoffs by the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday.

"I'm not ready to step away yet," Verlander said, according to SportsTalk 790.

The three-time Cy Young winner struggled through an injury-riddled campaign in which he pitched 90 1/3 innings and wasn't included on the Astros' wild-card roster against the Tigers.

"I do feel like I have a lot more to give pitching-wise," Verlander said. "This year was a tough year, learned a lot from it.

"Having an offseason to get things right, I definitely feel like I want to continue to pitch and compete."

The 2011 AL MVP posted a 5.48 ERA and 4.78 FIP in 17 starts for the Astros this season.

Verlander is a pending free agent after failing to trigger a conditional 2025 option in his contract by not reaching 140 innings in 2024.

Astros general manager Dana Brown said during a press conference Thursday that he won't commit to employing Verlander in the future.

"Ultimately, it sounds like he wants to come back, but we're going to have some discussions with our front office ... as to what's best for the team," Brown said, according to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart.

He earned $86.6 million over the past two seasons via a contract he signed with the New York Mets prior to the 2023 campaign.