Justin Verlander is officially getting one more chance to take the mound in a Detroit Tigers uniform. The Tigers announced Tuesday that the future Hall of Fame pitcher will make one final start Saturday against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Comerica Park, closing out his legendary 21-season MLB career.
The start will be particularly meaningful for Verlander, who has not pitched at Comerica Park since August 2017. After returning to Detroit on a one-year contract this season, injuries limited him to just one start before the long-awaited opportunity to pitch in front of Tigers fans one final time.
Verlander will make final Tigers start Saturday
Verlander completed a bullpen session Tuesday and came through it without another setback, allowing Detroit to officially confirm Saturday’s start. The 43-year-old had been working toward the appearance while recovering from hip and hamstring injuries that kept him sidelined for most of the season.
Verlander made his only start of 2026 on March 30 against the Arizona Diamondbacks, allowing six runs, five earned, over 3â…” innings before the hip issue landed him on the injured list. A subsequent hamstring injury further delayed his return.
What remains unclear is exactly how long Verlander will pitch Saturday. Manager A.J. Hinch has not announced a specific limit, and Verlander has indicated that he would prefer to pitch competitively rather than simply make a ceremonial one-inning appearance if his body allows it.
Verlander’s Hall of Fame career reaches its finale
Verlander announced in July that the 2026 season would be his final season. He will retire with a résumé that includes three Cy Young Awards, an American League MVP, two World Series championships, 10 All-Star selections and 3,554 strikeouts. He currently ranks eighth on MLB’s all-time strikeout list.
The Tigers have planned a two-day celebration at Comerica Park to honor Verlander’s career, with Saturday’s final start now serving as the centerpiece of his farewell weekend.
After spending 14 seasons with Detroit across two separate stints, Verlander will get one final opportunity to take the mound where his remarkable career began. Saturday’s game against Pittsburgh will mark the final start of one of the most accomplished pitching careers of his generation.
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