Justin Verlander’s 2025 Season Ends Unexpectedly vs. Rockies

In a season full of inconsistency and blown leads, the San Francisco Giants actually closed out the year on a high note. Veteran ace Justin Verlander took the mound and delivered, guiding the team to a tense 4-2 win over the Colorado Rockies.

Could this be his last start in a Giants uniform? Maybe. Either way, Verlander showed resilience and poise. The game had all the usual 2025 Giants chaos—early struggles, some sharp defense, and the typical bullpen drama. But this time, fans finally got the ending they wanted.

Verlander’s Resilient Finale

Verlander faced the Rockies at Oracle Park and fought through a rough start, giving up two solo homers in the early innings. At 42, the three-time Cy Young winner still looked like a future Hall of Famer, striking out seven and notching his 12th quality start of the year.

He left the mound with a lead, handing things over to a bullpen that’s made fans sweat all season.

Season Numbers Tell the Story

Verlander finished 2025 with a 4-11 record, a 3.85 ERA, and those 12 quality starts. The numbers show not just his work, but also how often the team failed to give him run support.

Given his age and all the pitching staff chaos, it’s honestly a respectable rebound from some rocky early months.

The Bullpen Walks the Tightrope

Giants fans could finally breathe after the last out, but the ninth inning was pure anxiety. Ryan Walker came in and immediately gave up a homer and a double—just six pitches in.

Manager Bob Melvin, who’s had enough of late-game disasters, yanked Walker and turned to Spencer Bivens.

A Defensive Gem Saves the Day

Bivens took over with the bases loaded and Ezequiel Tovar at the plate. Matt Chapman bailed everyone out with a jaw-dropping catch in foul territory.

That play sealed the final out—the 27th of the year’s last game—and spared fans from one more gut punch.

Key Offensive Sparks

The bats didn’t do much, but they did just enough. Casey Schmitt delivered the biggest blow—a three-run homer in the second inning off Kyle Freeland that wiped out a 2-0 deficit.

That shot gave the Giants their first lead, and honestly, it felt overdue.

The Insurance Run That Mattered

Rafael Devers chipped in with a clutch two-out RBI flare in the seventh, stretching the lead and giving the bullpen a little breathing room.

Even with Walker’s shaky outing, that tiny insurance run kept the Giants in control to the end.

End of an Uneven Season

The 2025 campaign will stick in fans’ minds for its frustrating inconsistency. Late-inning collapses and a quiet offense spoiled plenty of promising starts.

Looking Ahead to 2026

The Giants head into the offseason with a lot of questions. Verlander’s future is right at the top—does he come back, or was this it?

Manager Bob Melvin and the front office also have to figure out the bullpen, which was a source of constant headaches all year.

Game Notes and Final Stats

Highlights from the season finale include:

• Justin Verlander: 6+ innings, 2 earned runs, 7 strikeouts
• Casey Schmitt: 3-run HR in the 2nd inning
• Rafael Devers: 2-out RBI flare in the 7th
• Bullpen holds: Joel Peguero, Tristan Beck, Ryan Walker
• Save: Spencer Bivens (2nd of the season)

For Giants fans, this last game felt like a break from all those late losses that haunted the year. This time, the bullpen shut things down.

The defense really stepped up. The offense actually came through when it mattered.

Justin Verlander, maybe for the last time in a Giants uniform, left the mound with a win. That felt like a nod to his long career and the team’s stubbornness to end on a good note.

Does Verlander stick around in San Francisco? Hard to say right now.

But hey, at least the Giants get to enjoy this one. After everything, it’s not a bad way to wrap up the season.

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