Harrison excited to learn from new Giants teammate Verlander originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Kyle Harrison was four years old when Justin Verlander began his prosperous MLB career in 2005.
Twenty years later, they are Giants teammates.
Verlander, who will turn 42 on Feb. 20, will enter Year 20 with San Francisco after agreeing to a one-year, $15 million contract this offseason. While the two haven’t spoken yet, Harrison, 23, couldn’t hide his excitement about picking Verlander’s brain and getting to learn from the future National Baseball Hall of Famer.
“I haven’t [spoken to him] yet,” Harrison said on KNBR’s “Papa & Silver.” “But I was just thinking about it. I was born in 2001 and he’s been in the league since 2004, 2005. So [it] just shows how crazy of a guy he is and how good he is. [It] speaks to his routine and his prep routine and how he’s been able to stay healthy throughout his career.
“I’m going to be listening, and I’m going to do whatever he says. It’s going to be great.”
Harrison’s 2024 season ended in early September after being placed on the IL, but he finished his first full season with a 4.56 ERA, 4.35 FIP and a sky-high ceiling with San Francisco — especially learning behind a guy like Verlander.
And while the Verlander addition raised some jersey controversy. The veteran ace has worn No. 35 for basically his entire baseball career, a tribute to one of his biggest idols, Frank Thomas. But No. 35, of course, will always be remembered as the number franchise icon Brandon Crawford wore.
Despite Crawford giving his blessing to Verlander, the right-handed pitcher still is unsure about what he’ll do.
But it appears the jersey debacle added another layer, as Harrison also once-upon-a-time sported the No. 35 back in high school at De La Salle High School in Concord, Calif. Luckily for Verlander, Harrison, too, gave him his blessing.
“That’s what I joked with my family and friends about,” Harrison said, laughing. “I just wore that number because my grandpa wore it. But no, I would not be worthy of wearing that number compared to Brandon or Justin. Definitely got to put some more fuel in the tank for that one.”
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