PLive Card of the Day Number 131: A 2019 Topps Allen & Ginter of Justin Verlander
One of the most engaging side plots to this weekend's finale of the 2026 MLB season has emerged over the past few days, as Verlander and long-time rival Max Scherzer are each pushing to pitch. Both are candidates to hang up their spikes after this season concludes (though only Verlander has actually confirmed that he plans to retire), and bragging rights are at stake. JK currently has 5,554 career strikeouts to his name, but Mad Max is in his rearview mirror at 5,550, and could close the gap with a strong final outing
No matter who wraps up their career with more K's, both Verlander and Scherzer will go down in history as arguably the defining right-handed starters of their generation, having won six Cy Young awards and four World Series titles between the two of them