Justin

Verlander

Verlander was set to return to Comerica Park on Sunday night against the Cardinals for his first start in a Tigers uniform since 2017. That’s no longer happening. The 43-year-old future Hall of Famer heads to the shelf after being torched for five runs over 3 2/3 innings by the Diamondbacks on Monday in his season debut. It’ll be Keider Montero taking his spot in Detroit’s rotation for now. His return to the Motor City is off to a bit of a rocky start, but the Tigers are probably more concerned with having him available for late-season starts than early-April outings.

Verlander’s first start back with the Tigers was not a particularly impressive one. He gave up a pair of runs in the first — with one coming on a triple from Corbin Carroll — and Carroll got him again an inning later with a three-run bomb. That was it for runs allowed, but Verlander clearly wasn’t fooling hitters as seen in just six swings and misses generated over 80 pitches. The 43-year-old will look to regroup against the Cardinals on Sunday.

There’s little point in extrapolating too much from Verlander’s final spring tune-up with temperatures in the low-90’s out in Arizona as he was knocked around for eight hits, including a pair of home runs. He struck out four and only issued one walk. The 43-year-old future Hall of Famer will make his season debut in a road tilt against the Diamondbacks on Monday before making his return to Comerica Park next week.

Tarik Skubal will pitch on opening day against the Padres in San Diego. He’ll be followed by Valdez and Jack Flaherty. Justin Verlander will then open their series against the Diamondbacks in Arizona on March 30 and he’ll be followed by Casey Mize. Despite the injuries to Reese Olson and Troy Melton, this is perhaps the strongest starting rotation that we have seen the Tigers field in the past decade which has to make them the favorites in the American League Central.

Verlander also struck out six and didn’t walk a single batter while posting a 29 percent whiff rate and a 28 percent CSW. His velocity is already on par with what we saw from him last season, and he actually threw his four-seamer harder as the game went on, which suggests that his arm is certainly ready to go for the season. The 40-year-old will have some rough stretches during the season, but he has still shown the ability to get swings and misses, which will keep him on the streaming radar this year.

He struck out five and got six whiffs on 21 swings against his four-seamer and slider. The upper-echelon velocity is obviously gone, which leaves Verlander homer-prone, but he remains a credible back-end starter even if he’s not an exciting stream in fantasy leagues this year.

The big hit was a two-run home run allowed to Kristian Campbell in the top of the first inning. Verlander sat 94 mph on his fastball, which is basically where he was at last season, and also registered a 39 percent whiff rate. He gave up just the one hard-hit baseball and threw 64 percent strikes, so this was an encouraging outing overall.

Verlander threw a simulated two-inning start Sunday, and the 43-year-old will get back on the bump for “real” against the Red Sox. While his age adds extra volatility, Verlander showed enough in 2025 to suggest he’s worthy of late-round consideration in deeper leagues.

The 43-year-old hurler is lined up to make his Grapefruit League debut on either March 6 or 7. He’s on the same buildup schedule that he has been in season’s past and will be ready to roll when his spot in the rotation comes around once the regular season begins. With his return to the Tigers and his strong finish to the 2025 campaign, Verlander makes for a worthwhile late-round option in deeper mixed leagues.

The 42-year-old future Hall of Famer returns to the organization that made him the second overall pick in the draft way back in 2004. Verlander spent the first 12 and a half seasons of his big league career with the Tigers before being shipped to the Astros in a deadline deal in 2017. He’s still 34 victories away from 300 for his career, a milestone that Verlander wants to achieve before he retires. He adds quality depth to the back end of what’s shaping up to be a fearsome Tigers’ rotation.