Justin Verlander is one of the best pitchers in Tigers history. The last time Detroit was this good, on paper, was while Verlander played a prominent role in their rotation. There was something about those teams – think 2006 to 2016, which included two World Series' appearances – that live on in Tigers folklore. Owner Mike Ilitch wasn't afraid to spend money and prospect capital (sometimes too much of it) to see his beloved Tigers win a World Series before his passing. Sadly, they came up just short.
But the 2026 Tigers likely won't be as good as the 2006 or 2012 teams, nor will Verlander. JV is 43 years old, and as long as Tigers fans have waited for Verlander to return back where it all started, they must enter this conversation with limited expectations for the sake of their fallen star.
What can the Tigers reasonably expect from Justin Verlander?
The Tigers are not signing Verlander to be their ace or even a frontline starting pitcher. That's the good news – Scott Harris and Chris Ilitch should know exactly what they're getting into this time around. Yes, Verlander has a big reputation in Motown, but he is not Tarik Skubal, nor is he Framber Valdez.
Pitcher | 2025 ERA |
|---|---|
Tarik Skubal | 2.21 |
Framber Valdez | 3.66 |
Jack Flaherty | 4.64 |
Justin Verlander | 3.85 |
Casey Mize | 3.87 |
Reese Olson | 3.15 |
Troy Melton | 2.76 |
I listed this starting rotation as seven pitchers deep to make a point. The Tigers are adding Verlander for depth reasons and experience. He slots in at the No. 4 spot, and did have himself a pretty decent season in San Francisco in 2025. However, he can easily be overtaken by Mize, Olson or even Melton – who performed admirably in the postseason last year – should he falter. And the Tigers cannot be afraid to make that call should Verlander struggle, no matter how much flack they receive in the media.
If Verlander pitches as well as he did in 2025, that'll be just fine. He'd be a borderline postseason starter on a team that should make the playoffs given how much money they spent on the rotation this winter. But he's nothing more.
Reunions don't always end well, and Verlander's might not either
Verlander is not the first MLB legend to take a trip down memory lane. In fact, it's been done quite a few times this century. Ken Griffey Jr. spent his last two seasons with the Mariners. Albert Pujols took a victory lap with the Cardinals. Roger Clemens struggled through one final campaign in the Bronx. Gregg Maddux hoped to end his career in Chicago, but instead had to prove himself all over again on the west coast. Should I go on?
Pujols probably had the best run of any of those players, registering a 2.1 bWAR in a limited role with the Cards in 2022, when he was gifted an NL All-Star appearance for old time's sake. The difference between Pujols and Verlander is that the former played DH, while JV's role in Detroit won't change all that much.
While not all of those reunions ended well, there is some hope for Verlander, as his advanced stats towards the tail end of his 2025 season suggested he still has something left in the tank, per Motor City Bengals Emma Lingan:
"Verlander logged 152 innings last season, posting a 3.85 ERA with a 20.7% strikeout rate, a 7.9% walk rate and a 34.5% ground-ball rate. Those are decent overall numbers, but they don’t fully capture how dominant he was down the stretch. Over his final 13 starts, Verlander delivered 72 2/3 innings with a sparkling 2.60 ERA, a 22.8% strikeout rate and a 7.8% walk rate," Lingan wrote.
That's significant.
What Justin Verlander's Tigers swan song means for his legacy
Verlander's legacy as one of the best starting pitchers of his era is set in stone. Nothing he does in his final season with the Tigers will change that, nor should it. However, the mere fact that Verlander was interested in one final season in Motown does suggest he understand his legacy, and perhaps a future Cooperstown induction.
While this argument has yet to be had (and certainly decided for that matter), there will be debate over whether Verlander should enter The Baseball Hall of Fame as a Tiger or an Astro. In Houston, Verlander finally got over the hump, winning two World Series and two AL Cy Young awards to boot. Sure, JV was likely at his most elite in Detroit, but there's no denying something was lacking in his 2006 and 2012 AL pennant-winning teams. In Houston, he had the supporting cast to get over the top.
A final run in Detroit – where it all began – might be what it takes for Verlander to consider himself a lifelong Tiger. He is already a legend in this city, but for this ace to take part in two separate baseball revivals in Detroit has to give fans some semblance of hope. If not, what's the point of any of this?