The Detroit Tigers face a reality check heading into 2025. Tarik Skubal’s heading for free agency after next season, which means this might be their last real shot at contending with their ace still in the fold.
That’s where Justin Verlander comes back into the picture.
Fansided’s Christopher Kline thinks Detroit will bring back their old ace, predicting the Tigers to sign the three-time Cy Young winner for what could be one final run. At 42, Verlander proved he’s still got something left in the tank with San Francisco last season.
“This feels right, no? Justin Verlander, to his credit, made 29 starts in his age-42 season with the Giants. He was solid on the whole, and better than that down the stretch. Expectations need to be thoroughly tempered at this point, but if any team should be anxious to see if the three-time Cy Young winner has enough gas in the tank for one final run, it’s the Detroit Tigers.”
The numbers from 2024 tell two different stories. Verlander finished 4-11 with a 3.85 ERA over 152 innings, striking out 137 batters. But here’s what makes this interesting – he was a completely different pitcher after the All-Star break.
In the second half, Verlander posted a 2.60 ERA that looked a lot more like the guy who dominated for over a decade in Detroit. Maybe there’s something about coming home that could help him sustain that form for a full season.
From a financial standpoint, it’s a no-brainer. Spotrac projects Verlander to land a one-year, $7.8 million deal – pocket change for a franchise looking to maximize their window with Skubal.
The way I see it, this move makes sense on multiple levels. Detroit gets rotation depth behind their ace, Verlander gets a chance to finish his Hall of Fame career where it started, and the Tigers give their fans one more chance to see a legend in action.
All things considered, it’s hard to argue against bringing Verlander back for what could be both his and the current core’s last real shot at October baseball.
