It started with a text. Not from a coach, not from a scout, but from a future Hall of Famer humbled by the game’s cruel adjustments. One night, after watching a playoff broadcast from his couch, a Giants ace found himself mesmerized, not by velocity, not by raw power, but by a pitch that vanished like vapor. That pitch belonged to Detroit’s Tarik Skubal.
Justin Verlander, now donning a Giants jersey and fighting off time and inconsistency, didn’t hesitate. “Man, this guy’s got a disgusting changeup,” Verlander said during All-Star media availability with Pitching Ninja. “And I needed something that could move to the other side of the plate.” The 41-year-old wasn’t just watching Skubal dominate; he was studying him, seeking a spark in a season that’s tested even his vast arsenal.
What came next was textbook Verlander: direct, meticulous, and deeply respectful. He reached out to Matt Boyd and asked for an introduction to Skubal. “I was like, ‘Hey, if you don’t want to, it’s fine… but if you don’t mind giving me your change-up grip, that’d be great.” Skubal didn’t just send him a few notes; he flooded him with resources. Edgertronic videos, slow-motion breakdowns, high-res grip photos, and even drills. It wasn’t just a grip exchange; it was a masterclass.
And then came the “fun baseball” trick.
“He drew a dot on the top of the ball and told me to throw it like a football,” Verlander revealed, eyes lighting up. “It catches the seam and starts going that way. I tweaked it, dropped the grip a bit lower, and it just feels like it comes out better.” For a pitcher with three Cy Young Awards, it was a rare moment of learning and evolution.
In a season where Verlander’s ERA has crept above 4.50 and whispers of decline grow louder, this moment offers something different: defiance. Not stubbornness, but curiosity. A willingness to adapt. And Verlander might have discovered a connection to prolong his impact on Skubal. A 27-year-old standout pitcher showing improvement in strikeouts and possessing one of the effective changeups in baseball.
Because sometimes even legends require support to pass through challenges and uncertainties in life. And in 2025, Justin Verlander came in the form of a text, a dot on a baseball, and a younger pitcher willing to share everything.
Giants bet on Verlander to set tone after All-Star break.
The Giants didn’t turn to their All-Star. They didn’t turn to their first-half MVP. Instead, they handed the ball to a 42-year-old with a 0-7 record and a 4.70 ERA. Justin Verlander will start the first game of the second half, as first reported by John Shea of the San Francisco Standard. It’s a move that raises eyebrows, not because Verlander hasn’t earned respect over his career, but because 2025 hasn’t exactly been kind to him.
Logan Webb only threw 11 pitches during his one inning at the All-Star Game, and Robbie Ray didn’t pitch at all. Both were in Atlanta for the festivities and technically could’ve started Friday with adequate rest. So why go with Verlander? The answer might lie more in the long game than the short one. Manager Bob Melvin could be prioritizing freshness, not firepower, giving his top two arms just a bit more time to recharge after the All-Star spotlight.
But that puts pressure on Verlander to deliver something he hasn’t yet this season: a win. He’s made tweaks to his pitch mix, most notably borrowing a changeup grip from Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, and has shown flashes of sharper command. Whether those adjustments translate now, with the season entering its most unforgiving stretch, remains to be seen.
For a Giants team desperate to set the tone and mask offensive inconsistency, this outing isn’t just another start; it’s a trust fall.
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