Veteran Justin Verlander isn’t looking back at those 16 consecutive winless starts to begin this season.
His focus is on the ensuing 11 starts in which he has allowed two or fewer runs nine times.
The recent run tells Verlander he has more in the tank and he told USA Today that he would like to pitch again next season, when he will be 43.
Verlander is 3-10 with a 3.75 ERA this season. But over the last five starts, he is 2-0 with an 0.87 ERA.
Verlander blanked the Arizona Diamondbacks on three hits over seven innings on Wednesday but received a no-decision.
The recent performance represents a startling contrast to the pitcher who looked near the end of the line two to three months ago.
“Every day you come to the field for four months, and it’s like, ‘What’s the way out of this?'” Verlander told USA Today. “How do I make the adjustment? What do I need to do? What’s wrong? Because clearly something’s wrong. I just have to try to find it.
“I had a new thought in the bullpen, I took that into the game, and the game results have been what you see. So I’m glad I didn’t give up.”
Verlander, a three-time Cy Young winner and former American League MVP, has 265 career victories but his goal of reaching 300 now looks out of reach.
The nine-time All-Star admits to having mixed feelings about not being closer to 300 as this season winds down.
“I mean, I’m human,” Verlander said. “I think we all know. Like everybody in this locker room, all of you guys, and most of baseball kind of understand where I’m at. So, it would have been nice if possible, but again it’s that point of the year where we’re not playing for individual (stats).
“We’re at that course of the season where I don’t care if I win or lose, I want to give us the best chance to win this, the best chance to sneak into the playoffs.”
Giants manager Bob Melvin is impressed that Verlander is lighting it up in September.
“To be pitching this well late in the season, with this much under his belt at this point, it’s pretty remarkable,” Melvin said.”
