Verlander ready for his last start

Game 5 of the 2022 Major League Baseball World Series, scheduled for Thursday night at Citizens Bank Park, will pit righties Justin Verlander of the Houston Astros and Noah Syndergaard of the Philadelphia Phillies.

While Syndergaard will be making his debut, Verlander will be making his second start of the series.

In Game 1, which Philadelphia won 6-5 in 10 innings on Friday at Houston’s Minute Maid Park, Verlander gave up six hits and five cleanup runs in five episodes. The historic American pitcher now has a 0-6 record with a 6.07 ERA in eight career World Series starts.

For Verlander, it will be the final appearance of another outstanding season in a Hall of Fame-level career. It could also be his last appearance in an Astros jersey.

“It’s premature. I try not to think about it, really,” said Verlander, who has yet to decide whether to activate a $25 million player option for 2023 or better test the free-agent market after the Fall Classic.

“Really and truly, it’s been a great ride no matter what happens, whether I stay or not. I really enjoyed my time with this group of guys, and the city and getting to know the city. And it’s really been a blessing and a wonderful time in my career,” Verlander said.

The 39-year-old righty missed the 2021 season, recovering from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, but returned in similar form to 2019, when he won the second Cy Young Award of his career.

Last season, Verlander had an 18-4 record, 1.75 ERA and 185 strikeouts in 175.0 innings and 28 starts. His adjusted ERA+ of 220 was the best in a career that began with the Detroit Tigers in 2005.

Should Verlander win the Cy Young for the third time, he would join Roger Clemens (7), Randy Johnson (5), Steve Carlton and Greg Maddux (4) and Gaylord Perry, Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens and Roy Halladay (3) on the list of the trophy’s all-time winners.

Regardless of what he decides about his future in the coming days, Verlander’s passing will be remembered fondly by Astros fans. The “Ace” has a 61-19 record and 2.26 ERA in 102 starts and the Astros won their only title, in 2017, and have been to the World Series four times in those six years.

“I’m trying not to think about that. I’m trying to stay in the present,” said Verlander, a nine-time All-Star with 244 wins and more than 3,000 strikeouts and 3,000 career innings.

“I mean, we talked a lot about how this year I just tried to be more in the moment and be in the present and enjoy the ride and let what has to happen happen happen. We’ll see.”