Saturday will mark the end of an era in Detroit and Michigan sports as right-handed pitcher Justin Verlander makes his final career start for the Detroit Tigers and MLB.
Verlander, simply known as "JV" by many Tigers fans, had a tumultuous final season due to injuries, making only one start March 30 against the Arizona Diamondbacks. But when he caps his career Saturday against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Comerica Park (1:10 p.m., Detroit SportsNet), he will be remembered for a stellar career spanning more than two decades, including a Cy Young Award, an American League MVP award and two no-hitters with the Tigers.
Michigan Public sports commentator John U. Bacon took it a step further when talking with Morning Edition producer Caoilinn Goss on Friday.
"As either the best or second best pitcher in Detroit Tigers history," Bacon told Goss when asked how Verlander will be best remembered. "And that history goes back 123 years. That's very impressive."
Verlander, 43, was selected No. 2 overall in the 2004 MLB draft by the Tigers, one season after they nearly set the record for the worst regular season in baseball history (43-119).
Two years later, he was integral as a rookie in helping the 2006 Tigers reach the World Series, posting 17 wins and a 3.63 ERA in 30 starts. He pitched his first career no-hitter and made his first
of 10 MLB All-Star teams in 2007.
From there, Verlander quickly became a fan favorite in Detroit and a must-see attraction every time he made a start. His best stretch came 2011-13, when he threw a second no-hitter, won his first Cy Young Award and MVP, all while leading the Tigers to another World Series appearance.
Though Verlander couldn't quite win a World Series in Detroit, he did so with the Houston Astros in 2017 and 2022. And after bouncing around a little bit with stints in New York, Houston (again) and San Francisco, Verlander came back to the Tigers on a one year deal this season, looking to close out a Hall of Fame career with the team where it all started, with hopes of leading the Tigers to another World Series.
But this season hasn't gone as planned. Verlander went on the injured list in early April due to left hip inflammation, and has stayed there in the months since for a variety of ailments while the Tigers struggled on the field (they're 75-84 entering Friday and eliminated from the postseason). Verlander announced his retirement in July.
Verlander completed a bullpen session Tuesday, the necessary final step toward ensuring he can pitch at least one more time this weekend. It'll take place during a two day celebration honoring Verlander at Comerica Park.
"What I love about this is he has not pitched in months," Bacon said. "He can very easily just ride out the season, but he wants to come back for one last outing. That's a pretty bold move because he could get slammed. Maybe it's a bad taste on the way out the door, but I like the courage of this and I'm sure the fans are going to respond. And who knows, maybe the guy comes through.
"So I think it's a very cool move. And it's great that Verlander came back to Detroit. He will be a Hall of Famer, and when he is, he'll probably be wearing a Detroit Tigers cap on his plaque."
You can play the full audio of Goss' interview with Bacon near the top of this page.
How to watch Justin Verlander's final start with the Detroit Tigers
- Game: Detroit Tigers vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
- Time: 1:10 p.m. Saturday
- Location: Comerica Park
- TV: Detroit SportsNet or the MLB app
- Radio: WXYT 97.1 FM in metro Detroit, Detroit Tigers Radio Network elsewhere
