MLB's active wins leader Justin Verlander to retire after season

Justin Verlander, the active Major League Baseball pitcher with the most wins, is hanging up his cleats at the end of the season. The 43-year-old Detroit Tigers pitcher announced his impending retirement on his social media, citing unprecedented physical and mental challenges this season.

"I was hoping baseball would tell me when it was time to leave, and I realized over the last few months that time has come," Verlander wrote. He expressed that retiring with the Detroit Tigers, the team that gave him his first chance, is particularly meaningful.

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I was hoping baseball would tell me when it was time to leave, and I realized over the last few months that time has come.

Verlander, a "living legend" known for his durability and innings-pitched, has a career record of 266 wins (159 losses) with a 3.33 ERA and 3,554 strikeouts over 21 seasons and 556 starts. He was nicknamed 'Geumgangbulgye' (invincible) by Korean fans for his resilience.

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My body is sending signals that it can no longer hold up like it used to.

His illustrious career includes winning the American League Cy Young Award and MVP in 2011, and two more Cy Young Awards in 2019 and 2022 at ages 36 and 39, respectively. He also won two World Series titles with the Houston Astros in 2017 and 2022.

After starting his career with Detroit from 2005 to 2017, Verlander played for the Houston Astros, New York Mets, and San Francisco Giants before returning to Detroit this season on a one-year, $15 million contract. However, even the 'invincible' pitcher couldn't outlast time. This season, he made only one start, posting a 12.27 ERA before being sidelined by injury. "My body is sending signals that it can no longer hold up like it used to," he stated.

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It is very meaningful to retire with the Detroit, who gave me my first opportunity.