Millionaire athletes probably aren’t owed a chance to play in the postseason, but the exceptions might be Hall of Fame-bound Justin Verlander and player favorite Wilmer Flores, who won’t have a shot if they remain on the 2025 San Francisco Giants.

Justin Verlander. San Francisco and the veteran righty agreed to a one-year, $15 million deal. It was a major risk with him set to be 42 years old once Opening Day rolled around, especially with him coming off the least productive season of his career in 2024.

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Justin Verlander seemingly wants to leave the Bay Area so badly that he couldn't fully enjoy reaching 3,500 career strikeouts.

Justin Verlander snapped the longest streak of starts without a win in San Francisco Giants history Wednesday against the Atlanta Braves.

Justin Verlander tossed the 3,500th strikeout of his career in the San Francisco Giants' showdown with the Washington Nationals on Sunday, becoming the 10th pitcher in MLB history to hit the mark.

The future Hall of Famer began his afternoon by striking out James Wood swinging with an elevated 95.3 mph four-seam fastball. He followed up by punching out CJ Abrams swinging with a down-and-in slider that dropped off the table, bringing him one strikeout away from history.

"I'm frustrated that our fans come out and support us every night and we gave them literally nothing today," Giants manager Bob Melvin said.

Giants pitcher Justin Verlander's celebration was short lived in San Francisco's 8-0 loss to the Washington Nationals on Sunday at Oracle Park.

Justin Verlander reached yet another career milestone on Sunday. With a strikeout in the first inning of Sunday's game against the Washington Nationals, the San Francisco Giants' starter became just the 10th pitcher in MLB history to record 3,500 career strikeouts.

Verlander remained stuck on 263 career victories in his quest for 300. If the Giants were a mining claim, he would’ve abandoned it by now. Short of the Giants releasing him and eating the rest of his $15 million salary, Verlander will have to keep swinging his pickax at what’s been a barren landscape.