Veteran SF Giants pitcher holds dubious distinction in starting rotation

Veteran SF Giants starter Justin Verlander entered the season with 262 career wins. Through eight starts in 2025, he remains stuck at 262, and holds the distinction as the only winless pitcher in the Giants rotation.

Veteran SF Giants pitcher holds dubious distinction in starting rotation

Robbie Ray just tallied his fifth win of the season on Wednesday, becoming the first Giants pitcher since Tim Lincecum to reach that mark through the first eight starts of the season. Lincecum did that back in 2010. Did anything else good happen that year?

Logan Webb has recorded four wins so far. It is hard to ignore that he is getting more run support this season than in the past.

Landen Roupp has two wins, followed by Jordan Hicks with one win. Verlander is in last place with zero wins.

You cannot really put all of the blame on the future Hall of Famer. He has certainly done his part to get the win, especially in his last few starts.

On the year, the veteran hurler has a 4.50 ERA, 4.42 FIP, 1.31 WHIP, 7.5 K/9, and a 2.33 SO/W rate across 42 innings in 2025. His first few starts were not that strong, but he has pitched to a 2.70 ERA in his last four outings.

In three of his last four outings, he has departed with the lead and in line for the win. The bullpen has been a strength this season, as that unit is third in baseball with a 2.47 ERA. Only the San Diego Padres (2.42 ERA) and Detroit Tigers (2.43 ERA) bullpens have posted a better mark.

Baseball is a funny sport sometimes. While the Giants' bullpen has been a strength, they have struggled to close out Verlander's recent starts. Ryan Walker has flubbed two of those games, allowing a walk-off hit to the Los Angeles Angels in April and setting the table for the Chicago Cubs to tie it up on Monday.

In a game against the Colorado Rockies, Verlander departed in the seventh inning with a 3-2 lead. Tyler Rogers pitched the eighth and had his worst outing of the year, allowing two runs to cross home plate. He got tagged with the blown save and loss.

So, Verlander remains winless this season. He is aiming to reach 300 career wins, but his stint with San Francisco has not gotten him any closer. That will change soon, but for now, he remains the only Giants starter without a win.