Justin Verlander is set for one last ride in a Tigers uniform.
Detroit announced that Verlander will start Saturday’s game, a final turn that lines up with the end of his excellent career. To get him onto the roster, he’ll need to be reinstated from the 60-day injured list, and the Tigers have a handful of candidates who could be moved onto the 60-day IL to clear a 40-man spot.
The start figures to be mostly ceremonial, but that doesn’t make it any less meaningful. The Tigers brought Verlander back in the offseason after years with other clubs, though he still hasn’t gotten the chance to pitch in Detroit since signing that deal.
He made only one start this year, on the road, before going on the injured list with inflammation in his left hip. A hamstring strain later slowed the path back even more.
Verlander said in July that he would retire after this season, and since then he’s been working to get himself back into game shape while the Tigers have slipped out of contention. Now Detroit is out of the postseason race, and the Pirates, their opponent this weekend, have also been eliminated. With nothing at stake, the Tigers can send Verlander out there without having to chase a result.
It likely won’t be a long outing. He hasn’t been stretched out, and he hasn’t had a recent minor league rehab assignment.
On Friday, he threw a one-inning simulated game. He also threw a bullpen session today and felt good, according to Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic.
For Tigers fans, it’s a chance to see him in their ballpark one more time and give him the kind of sendoff that fits his Detroit run. The club drafted him in 2004, and he was a fixture in the rotation through 2017, when he was traded to the Astros.
In that stretch, he collected multiple All-Star nods, a Rookie of the Year award, an MVP award, a Cy Young award, and plenty of statistical honors along the way. He has added to that resume since leaving Detroit, pitching for the Astros, Mets and Giants.
Verlander’s 2023 season with the Giants ended with a 3.85 earned run average in 29 starts. When the Tigers brought him back, it was meant as a real upgrade for the roster, not just a nostalgic gesture.
Injuries and the team’s struggles changed that quickly, and the scene now is very different from what anyone imagined six months ago. Still, Saturday should bring a special moment at the ballpark.
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