Justin Verlander’s last turn in a Major League rotation will come Saturday afternoon at Comerica Park, where the Tigers will send him out against the Pirates to close a 21-year career. There will be the familiar work of a starter’s day, but little else about the weekend will feel ordinary for the franchise icon.
One more start, with room for the moment
Verlander completed his final bullpen tuneup Tuesday, still searching for every possible edge. He said he recently found a mechanical cue he wishes had come to him years earlier, and hopes it can help him make the most of his final outing.
The competitive habits are still there. Over two decades, Verlander built his career around repeatable preparation and relentless attention to detail. This weekend, though, he plans to let the usual walls down.
Rather than isolating himself behind headphones and a tightly controlled pregame routine, Verlander intends to take in the occasion. He wants to be present for the celebration while still giving the Pirates everything he has left when the game begins.
He knows the emotions could be difficult to manage. Verlander recalled becoming emotional when Detroit played a tribute video during his first return to Comerica Park as a member of the Astros in 2017, though he was able to settle in and pitch that day.
- Verlander will make his final career start Saturday against Pittsburgh.
- First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. ET at Comerica Park.
- His final bullpen session came Tuesday in Detroit.
- Saturday concludes a two-day Tigers tribute to his career and his work away from baseball.
A father’s reason to remember
The week took on a different shape when Verlander met his 7-year-old daughter on the field after Tuesday’s bullpen work. He said that when she was born, one of his hopes was to remain in the game long enough for her to retain memories of seeing him play.
Now, with his daughter old enough to understand the magnitude of the weekend, Verlander called being able to share it with her especially meaningful. He described her as the light of his life and said including her in this chapter means everything to him.
For the fans who watched him become the face of Detroit’s rotation, Saturday is more than a final line on a scorecard. It is a chance to see Verlander take the mound in the city where his career began, one last time.
Friday honors the pitcher
The Tigers will begin the farewell weekend Friday before the 6:40 p.m. ET game. Former teammates from various stages of Verlander’s Detroit years are expected at Comerica Park, joining the club’s effort to mark a career that has the shape of a future Hall of Famer’s resume.
The pregame program will include a career tribute video, speakers, personalized décor and gifts from the Tigers. Fans will be able to sign an oversized retirement card on the concourse, record their own Verlander memories in a testimonial booth and visit a display of career artifacts.
- The first 15,000 fans entering Friday’s game will receive a bobblehead of Verlander pitching in the Tigers’ orange uniform.
- Fans have been asked to wear orange, a color that connects each of Verlander’s clubs: the Tigers, Astros, Mets and Giants.
- Detroit SportsNet will air a Verlander career special at 5:30 p.m., including exclusive interviews.
- Friday tickets remained available as of Tuesday evening.
Saturday puts the spotlight on his work beyond the mound
Before his final start, Verlander will be recognized for his community impact. The Tigers’ nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award will donate $100,000 to Michigan Humane for Military, a program pairing veterans and active-duty service members with companion animals while also providing continuing veterinary care.
The contribution is expected to significantly expand the program. It follows Verlander’s long-running support of veterans, including welcoming them to Comerica Park and backing mental-health efforts.
Verlander said gratitude has been a defining feeling as the end approaches. The support he has received from Tigers fans, whether at Comerica Park, on the road or around Detroit, helped him through a difficult season and gave added purpose to his push to return for one more appearance.
He said he could have retired a month or two earlier, but continued pressing despite the physical risk because he wanted to pitch again for himself and for the people who had supported him.
- The first 15,000 fans through the gates Saturday will receive a long-sleeved hooded Tigers jersey.
- Every fan in attendance will receive a Verlander cheer card.
- Saturday tickets were nearly sold out as of Tuesday night.
As for retirement, Verlander said he has not planned the next chapter in detail. Conversations with his family and with accomplished athletes who have stepped away from their sports helped him recognize that he is ready for it. He said he feels at peace with his body of work and looks forward to what comes next with his family.
