The Tigers announced that Justin Verlander will start Saturday’s game. It will be the last start of his excellent career. He will have to be recalled from the 60-day injured list, but the Tigers have several candidates to go on the 60-day injured list, opening up a 40-man spot for him. It will be largely a ceremonial start, but it should still be a joyous occasion. The Tigers signed Verlander in the offseason after he spent several years with other clubs, but he has yet to take the mound in Detroit since signing that deal. He made just one start this year, on the road, before going on the disabled list with inflammation in his left hip. His path back to the club was blocked by a hamstring strain. In July he announced that he would retire at the end of this season. Since then, he has been trying to return to fitness as the club fell out of the competition. The Tigers are now out of the postseason and will play the Pirates this weekend, another club that has been eliminated. There won’t be anything at stake, which isn’t a great thing for the Tigers in the grand scheme of things, but one benefit is that it gives them the freedom to send Verlander and not worry about the results. It probably won’t be a long start since he’s not at the limit. He hasn’t been on a minor league rehab assignment recently. He just threw a one-inning simulated game on Friday. He threw a bullpen session today and felt good, according to Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic. For fans, it gives them a chance to show up and cheer on Verlander one last time. He was drafted by the club in 2004 and was a roster staple until 2017, when he was traded to the Astros. Along the way, he racked up multiple All-Star selections, a Rookie of the Year award, a Most Valuable Player award, a Cy Young award, and many statistical titles as well. He has continued to rack up accolades since leaving Detroit, wearing a uniform for the Astros, Mets and Giants. Last year, Verlander posted a 3.85 ERA in 29 starts for the Giants. The Tigers re-signing him was initially a move intended to legitimately improve the club, rather than being purely sentimental. But the combination of his injuries and the club’s overall poor performance have pushed circumstances in that direction. It’s not what anyone expected six months ago, but it should still be a special day at the stadium. Photo courtesy of David Rodríguez-Muñoz, Imagn Images
