Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

As the baseball offseason continues, there are a few older veterans on the open market who can still make a massive impact on any team. One of those players is former All-Star pitcher Justin Verlander, who will be turning 43 by the time next season kicks off.

Verlander proved this past season that he could still be a highly effective pitcher, even at his age. The veteran spent the year with the San Francisco Giants, throwing 152 innings of work, posting an ERA of 3.85, while striking out 137 batters.

In the past, Verlander has expressed a desire to keep playing until he was 45 years old, and if he keeps things up as he did a year ago, he could make it happen. There are many teams across the big leagues who could use his services, even as a backend starter for the season.

This could see the veteran latch on with a team going forward, and he is expected to receive a one or two-year contract in free agency. Verlander has the talent to be a decent enough starter, and he could also be a veteran voice in a locker room, adding more positives to bringing him into the mix.

Verlander signed with the Giants last offseason for more of a “fit” rather than the team being a strong World Series contender. We could see him do this again, and there should be a few teams seriously interested in adding his services to the roster.

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Justin Verlander Joins Kansas City Royals

One team that could be in play for Verlander this offseason is the Kansas City Royals, who desperately need more depth for the starting rotation. Kansas City took a step back in terms of overall contention this past season, and they will be looking to right the ship next year.

While Verlander wouldn’t solve all the issues in the pitching department for the Royals, he could at least give them some depth to work with. The veteran can eat innings, which is something that Kansas City needs for the upcoming season.

The Royals also have a core in place that can turn things around, and potentially even get back into the playoffs. This could be appealing to a veteran like Verlander, who likely prefers to join a contender for the year.

Verlander has seen it all during his long career, and the Royals do make a lot of sense for him to consider. Kansas City has spent money in free agency over the last few years, and this could be another investment into fixing the pitching issues on the roster.