In a move that completes a remarkable journey, Justin Verlander, the legendary pitcher, has signed with the Detroit Tigers, the team that drafted him in 2004. This signing brings his illustrious career full circle, leaving fans and analysts alike in awe.
Verlander, a future Hall of Famer, is returning to the place where his MLB story began. The Tigers revealed on Tuesday that they've secured Verlander's services for one year, a significant move for both parties. From 2005 to 2017, Verlander was a mainstay in Detroit, amassing an impressive 183 wins during his 13-season stint with the Tigers.
Now, at 43, Verlander is back with the Tigers after a resilient comeback from an injury-ridden 2024. Last year, he posted a solid 3.85 ERA in 29 starts for the San Francisco Giants, marking the 16th time in his 20-year MLB career that he's pitched at least 150 innings. But here's where it gets intriguing: despite not quite reaching his 2022 peak, when he dominated with a league-leading 1.75 ERA and claimed his third Cy Young Award, Verlander remains a formidable force.
He can still be a pivotal piece in the Tigers' rotation, which boasts two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal and free-agent acquisition Framber Valdez. Moreover, Verlander's experience and postseason prowess, evident in his 3.58 ERA across 38 postseason games (37 starts), could make him a sought-after trade target for teams aiming for a playoff push.
Verlander's 2025 season with the Giants was a tale of two halves. He struggled initially, posting a 4.70 ERA in 15 starts, and a pectoral strain sidelined him for almost a month. But after the All-Star break, he ranked 12th in ERA (2.99) among pitchers with at least 65 second-half innings, showcasing his resilience and adaptability.
With 137 strikeouts last season, Verlander is inching closer to Hall of Famer Bert Blyleven's record of 3,701 career strikeouts. Currently, Verlander sits at eighth place with 3,553 strikeouts, just 148 shy of Blyleven's mark. And this is the part most people miss—Verlander is also on the cusp of another historic milestone.
The veteran pitcher is only 34 wins away from joining an exclusive club of 24 MLB pitchers with 300 career wins. This feat hasn't been achieved since Randy Johnson's 300th win on June 4, 2009. Johnson, then 45, added three more wins before concluding his 22-year Hall of Fame career at the end of that season.
Verlander, a nine-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion, is likely bound for the Hall of Fame regardless of reaching 300 wins. He's projected to be a first-ballot inductee, potentially donning an English 'D' on his cap as a nod to his Detroit roots.
When asked about the possibility of winning his 300th game, Verlander didn't shy away from the challenge: 'I don't think it's out of the question... If I can make 29, 30-plus starts (in a season) and give our team a chance to win for a few more years, then it's possible. I'm not gonna say it's not. It's definitely harder, though... If you make 29 starts, you'd hope to win 10 to 15 games.'
As Verlander enters his 21st MLB season, he leads all active pitchers in career wins (266), innings (3567 2/3), bWAR (82.2), and strikeouts (3,553). He also ranks eighth in career ERA (3.32) among active pitchers, a testament to his enduring excellence.
The upcoming season will be Verlander's 21st in the majors since his debut with the Tigers in 2005. His career has had its share of setbacks, including missing the 2021 season due to Tommy John surgery and making just one start in the abbreviated 2020 season due to the pandemic. Despite these challenges, he avoided the injured list upon his return in 2022 and went on to win his third Cy Young Award. However, injuries have been a recurring theme in recent years, including a two-month stint on the injured list in 2024 for a neck strain.
Reflecting on his 2025 season, Verlander said, 'Maybe this year was meant to be for health and refining myself and getting used to taking the ball every five or six days and being able to log some innings. Maybe that'll carry me where I need to go.'
This signing raises intriguing questions: Will Verlander reach the 300-win milestone? Can he help the Tigers return to their former glory? And what impact will this have on his Hall of Fame legacy? Share your thoughts and predictions in the comments below!
