“Exactly what we were looking for,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said earlier this month, hopeful about veteran starter Justin Verlander’s return. But hope has since collided with a harsh reality. The once-dominant ace of baseball hasn’t looked the same. His velocity is down, his control is off, and most notably, he still hasn’t secured a single win this season. And now, the unthinkable is creeping in: could this lingering slump derail one of the most historic milestones in his legendary career?

The Giants are all set to visit Rate Field for Sunday’s series finale against the White Sox. After dropping the second game 1-0 to arguably one of the worst teams this season, they desperately need this win. And that will be the only aim as Verlander heads into his 13th start of the season. But the concerning part? He is 0-5 so far. Playing his 20th career season — his first one with the Giants — this isn’t how anyone hoped this season would turn out for him when he signed the one-year deal with the team in January. The three-time Cy Young winner was poised to hit 300 career wins this year. But as the winless streak drags on, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale has hit him with a harsh reality.

“Justin Verlander’s dream of becoming MLB’s next, and likely last 300-game winner is sadly fading away,” Nightengale wrote. Well, he’s not wrong. Verlander entered the season with 262 wins and is yet to add another. He needs 38 more to reach that historic mark. With the first half of the season nearly gone and Verlander still unable to turn things around, carrying a 4.52 ERA, that milestone now feels painfully out of reach.

And guess what? This is the longest winless streak of the future Hall of Famer’s career. Verlander had never gone longer than seven starts without a win. At this point, it almost feels cruel. Even if hitting the 300-win mark seems less likely now after the injury, there’s a better chance for him to hit the 3,500 career strikeout milestone, as he is only 31 strikeouts away. But the 300-win record would have been a great addition to his legendary 20-year career, which already includes two World Series titles.

Still, there are reasons to stay hopeful. Verlander remains determined, and it is just a matter of time before he turns things around. And if he needed a little extra motivation, he just got it, in the form of a new addition to his family. The former AL MVP now has another little cheerleader in his corner as he heads into Sunday’s start, looking to finally snap the streak.

Justin Verlander on becoming a dad again

The veteran pitcher just found a new silver lining, this time, away from the mound. Verlander and his wife, Kate Upton, just welcomed their first baby boy, Bellamy Brooks, on June 19. The couple tied the knot in 2017, just after his World Series win with the Astros, and had welcomed their first child, Genevieve, a year later. When the pitcher met with the media last week after a 4-2 loss to the Marlins, the first question was about the newest member of the family.

“Just an amazing, amazing time. Everybody’s home, happy, healthy,” Verlander gave an update. “Having a 6-and-a-half-year-old, knowing the journey that’s ahead of me, it’s really incredible and I’m really looking forward to reliving some of those times,” he added. Well, his excitement is clearly understandable.

The player was on the paternity list for three days following the birth and missed the team’s weekend series against the Boston Red Sox. But he couldn’t turn the new-dad luck into a win in his first start since welcoming the child, against the Marlins. He struggled through five innings and ended up yielding three earned runs. But now, as he’s all set to take the mound against the White Sox, the goal is to win — no matter what. Will he be able to break the winless streak? We’ll have to wait and watch.