Justin Verlander’s anti-analytics stance sparks sportscaster’s double standard accusation

Three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander recently blamed the rise of analytics for the rapidly diminishing value of the starting pitcher in the game, imploring the MLB to take steps to address the issue. Verlander currently has 262 victories to his name and is considered to be the last pitcher with a possible chance of reaching the hallowed mark of 300 career wins.

Veteran sportscaster Tony Kornheiser said he respects Justin Verlander's stance on the devalued role of the starting pitcher. However, he implied that Verlander might be displaying double standards regarding the use of analytics. Kornheiser found the timing of Verlander's comments perplexing, especially since Verlander had previously praised the Houston Astros analytics department when he joined the team.

Tony Kornheiser is a co-host of the award-winning sports debate program 'Pardon The Interruption' from ESPN along with Michael Wilbon. The pair touched on Justin Verlander's remarks during the show on Friday (Timestamp: 0:00-3:45).

"I don't know, in this moment, when he looks at the world of pitching, how much of that is from a narrow prism of a guy trying to get to 300 wins," Kornheiser said. "If he gets the 300 wins, I think we both agree that he'll be the last guy to ever do it because pitchers do not get enough starts, and managers don't leave them in long enough to hang around."

"I just don't want to slam analytics because I think analytics are a tool to use to get better. I don't think they're handcuffs," he added. "Justin Verlander, when he went to Houston, praised the analytics in Houston."

Verlander spent seven seasons with the Astros across two separate stints, winning the Cy Young twice while with the team.

Analytics are trying not to value something they have a hard time quantifying: Justin Verlander

Justin Verlander joined the San Francisco Giants on a one-year deal for the 2025 season (Image Source: IMAGN)

During an interview with USA Today earlier this week, Justin Verlander attributed the declining importance and durability of starting pitchers in the current MLB environment to the heavy reliance on analytics for strategy:

"There are times you end up being lucky or unlucky loss-wise," he said, "but devaluing the win is just another way that analytics are trying to not value something that they have a hard time quantifying. The best pitchers win more games. They go deeper in the game. They have more opportunities to win games. It’s like a lost art."

"We used to make fun of guys for going five-and-fly," Verlander said. “Now, it’s the standard."

There were only 28 complete games recorded in the major leagues last year, the lowest figure in the history of the game. Meanwhile, starting pitchers averaged just 5.22 innings per start.