Mandatory Credit: Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images

Justin Verlander Injury Update: 42-Year-Old Lands on IL – What’s Next for the Giants?

Justin Verlander will go on the IL with nerve irritation in the pectoral area.

Mandatory Credit: Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images

The San Francisco Giants are facing another shakeup to their rotation – and this time, it involves their 42-year-old veteran.

Justin Verlander is heading to the 15-day injured list with pectoral muscle soreness, manager Bob Melvin confirmed after Wednesday’s 8-4 loss to the Kansas City Royals. The move is retroactive to Monday, the day after Verlander’s last outing – a four-inning start against the Athletics, where both his command and velocity were noticeably off.

Justin Verlander heads to the IL pic.twitter.com/lTDSJvi3fH
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) May 21, 2025

Verlander tried to push through during a bullpen session before Wednesday’s game, but afterward, admitted to trainers that he wasn’t confident about making his next scheduled start on Saturday. That prompted the team to shut him down for now. Melvin clarified the issue as “nerve irritation in the pectoral area,” adding that it’s not a pain issue, but one that still requires rest and caution.

"It just makes some sense not to push him too hard right now."

Bob Melvin shares Justin Verlander will go on the IL and miss his next two starts pic.twitter.com/z0ktnqlJ4r
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) May 21, 2025

It’s Verlander’s first stint on the IL with San Francisco but his fourth since the beginning of 2023. In Sunday’s outing, his fastball averaged just 91.3 mph, down nearly three full ticks from his season average of 94.2 mph. Even his very first pitch of the game, a 90.5 mph four-seamer, tipped him off that something wasn’t quite right.

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Now, the Giants are left needing to fill a crucial rotation spot, one that had only recently begun to stabilize after some early-season experimentation.

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San Francisco’s rotation had just been reworked, with Jordan Hicks moving to the bullpen and prospect Hayden Birdsong taking over his spot. Birdsong impressed in his 2025 debut, allowing just one unearned run over five innings while striking out four in a win over Kansas City. That debut likely solidified his role for the immediate future.

So who takes Verlander’s turn?

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Kyle Harrison, who has been pitching out of the bullpen for the first time in his big league career, is a strong candidate. He threw just 16 pitches in a relief outing Tuesday, keeping him relatively fresh. Harrison has a 3.38 ERA across 5 1/3 innings out of the ‘pen this season.

Then there’s Jordan Hicks. While he started games earlier this year, he’s pitched an inning in relief twice in the last three days. That recent usage makes him a less likely choice for Saturday’s start.

The most intriguing possibility may be top prospect Carson Whisenhunt. The 24-year-old left-hander has been dominant in Triple-A lately, going at least seven innings in each of his last four starts while posting a 1.29 ERA, 28 strikeouts, and just two walks over that stretch. His efforts recently earned him Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week honors. Whisenhunt isn’t on the 40-man roster, but the Giants created space earlier this week by designating infielder David Villar for assignment. If there was ever a window to get Whisenhunt to The Show, it might be now.

Should the Giants opt to shift Harrison back into the rotation, they’ll likely need to plug the gap in their bullpen. Among internal options, Sean Hjelle offers experience and solid Triple-A numbers. Tristan Beck is another possibility. If the team is specifically looking for someone who can eat innings, Trevor McDonald, who’s pitched in both relief and starting roles in Triple-A, could be the answer.

Giants

Justin Verlander

Mohsin Baldiwala

mlb

Mohsin Baldiwala is a Master’s student in Journalism and freelance content producer who got hooked on baseball through Seinfeld’s hapless George Costanza. The same reason why he’s a Yankees fan. He writes about sports because he believes it can offer a brief escape from the world’s chaos. Even if that means enduring the heartbreak of the 2024 World Series.