Justin Verlander punched his name into baseball history Sunday by becoming the 10th pitcher to reach 3500 career strikeouts, doing so in the first inning against Washington at Oracle Park. He finished with 3503, leaving him 10th all‑time and within reach of passing Walter Johnson for ninth later this season. The milestone sits atop a storied arc that began in Detroit, included a long stretch with Houston, and now continues with the Giants at age 42. Verlander’s stuff remains elite by velocity and movement, even as his command and late gears have evolved. The moment also underscores the era Vilified by the Tigers’ 2017 trade, a turning point that helped Detroit rebuild and, years later, placed Verlander among the game’s all‑time greats. Detroit will always claim him as a Tiger; Houston and San Francisco claim chapters of a remarkable career; and Cooperstown awaits a Hall of Fame career that’s long since secured.

Verlander’s season has been solid—4.29 ERA and 4.18 FIP—yet his value for fantasy hinges on durability, innings, and the continued quality of his four-seamer at 94.1 mph on average, plus a still‑trustworthy slider and curve. He can still reach back for 98 mph, though the peak gear isn’t as explosive as in his prime. Counting the 3500 strikeouts alongside a 263‑win resume, the list of all‑time greats grows thinner by the year, and Verlander remains one of the last true horses who outlasts most on the mound.