Verlander’s 3,500th strikeout solidifies his status as a hall-of-fame fantasy asset when healthy. He churned five innings with six punchouts in an 8-0 Washington win at Oracle Park, a milestone marked by quiet fanfare as the Nationals piled on early and San Francisco’s bats remained blanked.

San Francisco dropped to 59-59 as Nationals hitters collected 17 hits and kept the pressure on the Giants’ mound from start to finish. Verlander’s milestone performance overshadows a rough day for the home club, and the game provides a clear reminder of the caution needed around aging aces in fantasy timelines.

Off the mound, Verlander expressed a genuine desire to keep competing, noting improved health this season after last year’s nerve injury. The stuff remains, but health and workload will govern his rest-of-season value. For fantasy managers, the takeaway is to ride him when active while hedging with depth in weeks that look taxing.

In practical fantasy terms, Verlander remains a big-game contributor when he’s on the hill, especially against teams that produce strikeouts. Giants’ hitters could cool, while Nationals’ bats might continue to offer streaming opportunities in favorable matchups. This game blends a historic moment with actionable rest-of-season strategy.