Justin Verlander will be 43 on Opening Day, and yet he still pitched like a legitimate rotation piece in 2025. His four wins masked how effective he actually was. He posted 152 innings, a 3.85 ERA, and above-average production for a 42-year-old who still takes the ball every fifth day.
It was the kind of season that backs up his declaration he is ready to pitch again in 2026. The three-time Cy Young winner should do it at home, back sporting the Olde English D of the Detroit Tigers.
In MLB.com’s column on reunions, Will Leitch captured the appeal perfectly when he wrote, “The Tigers need pitching. Verlander needs a home. And, frankly, the rest of us need this.” Detroit is competitive again, and Verlander remains good enough to help a contender. On the surface, it feels like the rare reunion that works for sentiment and baseball reasons.
But the context matters.
This only makes sense with Tarik Skubal in place, not as a front office move to appease fans if they trade the current American League Cy Young winner.
Skubal was one of the best pitchers in baseball last season, striking out 220 hitters and finishing among league leaders in ERA, FIP and WHIP. He is the anchor of Detroit’s entire timeline, the kind of No. 1 whom teams build around, not dangle. Trade speculation always follows frontline starters, and Skubal’s name has surfaced in rumors, but replacing him with a 43-year-old is not just unrealistic — it misunderstands what Verlander can still give.
Verlander is no longer the rotation-carrying ace he once was. He’s the stabilizer behind one. That’s where this makes sense for Detroit. He can give them predictable innings, composed outings, and he is a veteran who provides the staff with structure. He doesn’t block prospects. He buys the team time and raises the floor.
Verlander isn’t the replacement for an ace — he’s the support system for one.
Detroit finally has the competitive core to make a reunion meaningful. Verlander still has enough left to help that core win. A future Hall of Famer still pitching well, a young ace entering his prime, and a club that needs real innings, it could be a perfect reunion.
