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Justin Verlander’s return to the Detroit Tigers has hit another roadblock, and the future Hall of Famer isn’t hiding his frustration.
After recently being scratched from his scheduled start due to a hamstring injury, Verlander spoke candidly about the challenges he has faced during a season that has been dominated by setbacks.
For a pitcher who has built a legendary career on durability and perseverance, this stretch has been unlike anything he has experienced before.
“This is kind of the first time anything like this has happened to me where it’s kind of like consecutive injuries,” Verlander told reporters Friday. “I think this whole process has been agonizingly long for me, especially considering where we were at early on and thinking it was going to be a really short-term injury to having to shift my mindset to more long term…just disappointing to say the least.”
Verlander entered the 2026 season hoping to make a meaningful impact after returning to Detroit on a one-year deal. Instead, injuries have limited him to just one start, and what initially appeared to be a brief absence has turned into months of rehabilitation and uncertainty.
The 43-year-old admitted that navigating multiple injuries in the same season has tested him both physically and mentally.
“This is uncharted territory for me and it sucks,” Verlander said. “But I think first and foremost right now, it’s like, head down, work hard, get past this, try to get back out there for the Detroit Tigers and myself, see what I can do.”
Despite the mounting frustrations, Verlander made it clear that retirement is not on his mind. He remains committed to helping the Tigers in any way he can before the season comes to an end.
“There’s no giving up,” Verlander said. “This is halfway through a season that I committed to the Tigers for and nobody envisioned it going this way. But I also intend on trying to give it my everything until the season’s over.”
Still, one comment is sure to grab the attention of Tigers fans.
Verlander has long maintained that he would continue pitching until his body told him otherwise. On Friday, he acknowledged the possibility that age and injuries may finally be catching up to him.
“I’ve always said that I want to play until the wheels fall off and, I don’t know, maybe they are falling off,” Verlander said. “I hope not.”
Whether this season ultimately becomes Verlander’s final chapter remains to be seen. What is clear is that one of the greatest pitchers of his generation is facing a battle he has rarely encountered throughout his remarkable career. For now, his focus remains simple: recover, return, and try to help the Tigers before the 2026 season comes to a close.
Continue reading...
After recently being scratched from his scheduled start due to a hamstring injury, Verlander spoke candidly about the challenges he has faced during a season that has been dominated by setbacks.
For a pitcher who has built a legendary career on durability and perseverance, this stretch has been unlike anything he has experienced before.
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“This is kind of the first time anything like this has happened to me where it’s kind of like consecutive injuries,” Verlander told reporters Friday. “I think this whole process has been agonizingly long for me, especially considering where we were at early on and thinking it was going to be a really short-term injury to having to shift my mindset to more long term…just disappointing to say the least.”
Verlander entered the 2026 season hoping to make a meaningful impact after returning to Detroit on a one-year deal. Instead, injuries have limited him to just one start, and what initially appeared to be a brief absence has turned into months of rehabilitation and uncertainty.
The 43-year-old admitted that navigating multiple injuries in the same season has tested him both physically and mentally.
“This is uncharted territory for me and it sucks,” Verlander said. “But I think first and foremost right now, it’s like, head down, work hard, get past this, try to get back out there for the Detroit Tigers and myself, see what I can do.”
Despite the mounting frustrations, Verlander made it clear that retirement is not on his mind. He remains committed to helping the Tigers in any way he can before the season comes to an end.
“There’s no giving up,” Verlander said. “This is halfway through a season that I committed to the Tigers for and nobody envisioned it going this way. But I also intend on trying to give it my everything until the season’s over.”
Still, one comment is sure to grab the attention of Tigers fans.
Verlander has long maintained that he would continue pitching until his body told him otherwise. On Friday, he acknowledged the possibility that age and injuries may finally be catching up to him.
“I’ve always said that I want to play until the wheels fall off and, I don’t know, maybe they are falling off,” Verlander said. “I hope not.”
Whether this season ultimately becomes Verlander’s final chapter remains to be seen. What is clear is that one of the greatest pitchers of his generation is facing a battle he has rarely encountered throughout his remarkable career. For now, his focus remains simple: recover, return, and try to help the Tigers before the 2026 season comes to a close.
Continue reading...
