Justin Verlander Sent Home Amid Retirement Speculation
Justin Verlander is now heading home as questions arise regarding how many seasons he has left in his career.
The future Hall of Famer inked a one-year contract worth $13 million with the Tigers, the team that drafted him second overall in the 2004 MLB Draft. He spent 13 seasons with them, as reported by Jon Heyman.
Details of the deal also indicate that $11 million is set to be deferred starting in 2030, according to Heyman.
As Verlander approaches his 43rd birthday later this month, he’s the second significant pitching acquisition for the AL Central team in just a week. Recently, they also added left-handed pitcher Framber Valdez with a three-year, $115 million agreement.
Many might speculate this could be Verlander’s farewell tour, especially considering he may end his legacy with the team that holds a special place in his heart.
Verlander donned a Tigers uniform from 2005 until 2017 before moving on to the Astros.
During his time in Detroit, he secured his first Cy Young Award in 2011 and also took home MVP honors that same year, becoming the last AL pitcher to do so—unless you count Shohei Ohtani as a two-way player.
He started 380 games for the Tigers, boasting a record of 183 wins and 114 losses, with a 3.49 ERA and 2,373 strikeouts.
Verlander’s move to the Astros during the 2017 season finally brought him the elusive World Series title that had previously slipped through his fingers with the Tigers.
He clinched championships with the Astros in 2017 and 2022 and received Cy Young Awards once more in the 2019 and 2022 seasons.
After leaving Houston following the 2022 season, his career took a wandering path. He signed a two-year deal worth $86.7 million with the Mets but was traded back to Houston mid-season and is now under contract through 2024.
Last year, he was with the Giants, where he started 29 games and finished with 4 wins, 11 losses, and a 3.85 ERA.
This season, Verlander joins a robust Tigers rotation featuring former AL Cy Young Award winners like Tarik Skubal, Valdez, Jack Flaherty, and Casey Mize.
The big question lingers: will this be his final season at the legendary venue? Verlander, with a record of 266 wins, has mentioned being motivated to chase 300 victories.
“If I can come out and start 29, 30 games or more and give this team a shot at winning for a few more years, I think it’s possible,” he noted last season. “I’m not saying it’s impossible, but it certainly becomes more challenging. If you start 29 games, you’d want to win 10 or 15 of those.”
“This year wasn’t in the cards for success. But maybe it wasn’t just about winning. Maybe it was about staying healthy, finding my rhythm, getting on the mound every five or six days to log some innings and get back on track,” he reflected.
