Justin Verlander’s road back took him to the mound at Rate Field on Friday, where the veteran right-hander threw a one-inning simulated game as the Tigers weigh one more appearance before his retirement.
The result
Verlander faced rookie hitters Brett Callahan and Ben Malgeri and threw roughly 20 pitches in the brief session. For Detroit, it was an important test rather than a long workout: Verlander is on the 60-day injured list with a left hamstring strain, and the club has only a narrow runway left to get him back on a big-league mound.
The original plan called for the simulation on Saturday, but rain in the Chicago forecast prompted the Tigers to move it forward. With little margin for a weather delay or any other interruption, the club chose to get the work done Friday.
Manager A.J. Hinch liked what he saw, particularly the lack of hesitation from a pitcher working his way back from an injury.
“It was about as good a session as we could have asked for to move him forward,” Hinch said. “He was on the mound against hitters, got plenty of swing-and-miss, and did not appear to be holding anything back. For one inning, he accomplished a lot.”
Hinch said the next few days will matter as much as Friday’s session. The Tigers will monitor how Verlander recovers before deciding whether he can make the planned start at Comerica Park next Saturday against the Pirates.
The rotation next
Verlander is not the only Detroit starter nearing a return. Jack Flaherty is scheduled to make a rehabilitation appearance for Triple-A Toledo on Saturday night, his first such outing as he works back from right flexor inflammation that has kept him out since late July.
Flaherty’s Toledo assignment is expected to last two or three innings. If it goes as intended, he could make a short major-league start next weekend, either Friday or Sunday. He would not work behind Verlander in a piggyback arrangement.
Flaherty said the original aim of his rehabilitation was to return in time for a postseason run. That possibility has slipped away, but he said the work has still brought him to a good place physically.
“The hope was to get through this and be available for the playoffs,” Flaherty said. “That was always the target. I have put in a lot of work to get back to where I can pitch, and everything feels good. It did not turn into the playoff push we wanted, so now it is about taking it day by day and figuring it out.”
