Justin Verlander didn’t leave much room for debate when asked about Buster Posey’s Hall of Fame case.
“That’s a ridiculous question!”
That was Verlander’s response to Bob Nightengale of USA Today when the topic turned to whether Posey’s current run as president of baseball operations for the Giants could somehow dent his Cooperstown chances. It won’t. Posey’s front-office stretch may be going poorly, but his playing career stands on its own.
And that career is exactly why the question feels so far off base. Posey piled up seven NL All-Star selections, five Silver Slugger Awards, three World Series rings and the 2012 NL MVP Award. Those are the kind of accomplishments that put him in a very different conversation from his work running a baseball operations department.
He should have a strong shot once his name reaches the ballot for the first time. A useful comparison is Joe Mauer, who drew 76.1 percent of the votes in his first year on the ballot in 2024. Posey could land in a similar range when his turn comes.
The Hall of Fame case, in other words, is built. What’s been less convincing is the front-office record.
The Giants are 42-57 and sitting in fourth place in the NL West, and several of Posey’s offseason decisions have not paid off. One of the biggest issues has been a lack of attention to the bullpen. At the same time, he has also put his stamp on the roster in a big way, highlighted by the additions of Willy Adames and Rafael Devers.
One of his better moves was bringing in Verlander on a one-year, $15 million deal before the 2025 season. The start was rough, but Verlander finished strong enough to post a 3.85 ERA across 29 starts for San Francisco.
Verlander entered the year hoping to chase 300 career wins, but injuries with the Detroit Tigers kept him from staying on the field. Before the All-Star Break, he said he would retire at the end of the season.
Randy Johnson was the last pitcher to reach 300 wins, and he did it in a Giants uniform. He may be the last ever to get there.
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