Don’t write off the old guys.
That’s the message that San Francisco Giants pitcher Justin Verlander surely was feeling on Friday night at the end of another recent gem for the 42-year old.
Verlander went 7.0 innings on Friday night, allowing just a single earned run.
In the process, he joined a very exclusive MLB club.
Verlander is one of seven pitchers age-42 or older to allow one or zero runs in a three-start span, according to MLB Network’s Sarah Langs.
The others:
- 2022 Rich Hill
- 2015 Bartolo Colon
- 2008 Randy Johnson
- 2004 and 2005 Roger Clemens
- 1982 and 1984 Phil Niekro
- 1963 Warren Spahn
- 1909 Cy Young
MORE: Giants’ Patrick Bailey makes grand slam, inside-the-park HR history
The doubling up by Clemens and Niekro makes this the 10th such span overall in baseball history.
It’s an amazing turnaround for Verlander, who was viewed as a guy earlier in the season who may have had to be dropped from the rotation.
Instead, he’s shining bright at a key time. The Giants have a legitimate chance to catch the Mets for the final wild card spot in the National League.
If Verlander keeps pitching like this, they just might do it.
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