Justin Verlander's trainer lauds his impressive longevity after Tommy John recovery: "He’s just one of those, kind of like the Tom Brady of baseball"
Few would have predicted Justin Verlander would ever recover from his agonizing core muscle surgery in 2014, but he now has a couple of World Series Championships and Cy Young Awards to his name.
Fast forward to the present day, with his lucrative deal with the Mets in place and the time clock clicking on his age, Verlander’s personal trainers hailed his hard work and will to never give up as catalysts to his ever-lasting success.
Peter Park, Verlander's personal trainer, held him in the highest regard and even went so far as to compare him to the great Tom Brady.
“Of course, Father Time is going to catch up eventually,” Park said. “You can’t be 70 and be pitching 98 mph. It’s got to catch up somewhere, but he’s just one of those, kind of like the Tom Brady of baseball. He just somehow figures out how to [keep going]."
“He’s just constantly learning about himself. He just doesn’t leave any stone unturned."
Justin Verlander has sought advice from Park in the past, with assistance from his now-wife Kate Upton, and credits him with helping him improve his body. Park specifically worked on honing his mobility, core work, and fitness.
Park also mentioned that it was probably Tommy John’s injury that rebooted Verlander.
“I just think [Tommy John surgery] rebooted him,” Park said. “Now, he’s starting the second journey almost, like the 2.0.”
Annie Gow, a physical therapist Verlander started working with in the 2014 offseason, also paid homage to his determination and the hard yards he put in during training.
“There’s no magic bullet,” said Annie Gow. “He wasn’t graced with an amazing whatever — he works hard at it. Everything he has gotten, it’s through hard work. But I think he understood he needed to take care of himself in that off-season phase. Build the strength, get your mobility. He just changed his way of being.”
Justin Verlander expects to continue winning with the New York Mets
Justin Verlander sent the MLB world into rapture with his mega-signing with the New York Mets. After a very successful stint with the Houston Astros, he has made the hard choice of switching teams.
Welcome to New York, Justin Verlander! 🗽 https://t.co/RtTqMc8eTh
"Welcome to New York, Justin Verlander!" - SNY Mets, Twitter
While switching at this point in his career might seem odd to many, Verlander has clearly stated that he expects to win. As you grow accustomed to winning, it soon becomes a habit, and it will be very interesting to see how well he does in the Big Apple with the Mets.