Houston Astros: Justin Verlander will be next 300 game winner

Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander reached several milestones this season, but he still has one more within grasp.

The 2019 campaign was a historic one for Justin Verlander. The Houston Astros ace pitched his way into the record books, as he became the sixth pitcher to fire three no hitters, and the 18th pitcher to reach the 3000 strikeout plateau. It is possible that he will add a second championship and Cy Young to his resume once the postseason comes to an end.

As it is, Verlander has an impressive resume already. Over the course of his career, the eight time All Star has posted a 225-129 record, along with a 3.33 ERA and a 1.135 WHiP, striking out 3006 batters with just 850 walks in his 2982 innings. He won the AL Cy Young and MVP award in 2011, taking home the pitching Triple Crown. Verlander’s Hall of Fame credentials are without question.

Verlander is not close to done yet. He signed a two year extension through 2021, which will make him one of the highest paid players in the game. At 36 years old, he is not showing any signs of slowing down. In fact, given his career marks at this point, it is fair to wonder if Verlander can reach the 300 win plateau.

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While he may be approaching the downside of his career, one could argue that Verlander had his best season in the majors this year. He posted a 21-6 record, along with a 2.58 ERA and a 0.803 WHiP, reaching the 300 strikeout mark for the first time in his career. He does not appear to be slowing down any time soon.

The Astros should also continue to be a contending team during the next two seasons. While Gerrit Cole is likely to leave in free agency, the Astros offense will remain intact next year. George Springer and Michael Brantley are free agents following the 2020 campaign, but the Astros do have promising young outfielders waiting in the wings.

Of course, Verlander’s march to 300 wins will depend on his health and how long he wants to continue playing. While he hinted that he would want to pitch for another decade, he does have a supermodel wife and a young daughter at home. There are also a lot of innings on his arm, which could prove troublesome as he continues to age.

However, Verlander has been a true workhorse during his major league career. Since his rookie campaign in 2006, Verlander has only had one season where he did not make at least 30 starts, and only two years with fewer than 200 innings. Should he continue that workload, those 75 wins could happen in the next five seasons.

The Houston Astros will continue to have a strong team behind Justin Verlander for the next couple of years. That may be enough to give him the push needed to reach the 300 win plateau in the future.