Tigers Officially Schedule Justin Verlander's Final Career Game

Justin Verlander is ready to take the field one last time.

by Joe Najarian

Sep 22, 2026

Justin Verlander of the Detroit Tigers.

Mandatory Credit&colon; Josh Boland-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

Justin Verlander will officially conclude his Hall of Fame career this weekend.

After completing a bullpen session on Tuesday, the 43-year-old right-hander is set to take the hill for the Detroit Tigers on Saturday, September 26. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch previously told reporters on Sunday that the team aimed to have Verlander start in the penultimate game of the season against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

This farewell game will only be Verlander’s second start in 2026. He signed a one-year, $13 million contract with the Tigers this past offseason, but after allowing five runs in 3.2 innings on March 30 against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Verlander landed on the 15-day injured list four days later with left hip inflammation. His return to the majors was delayed even further by a left hamstring strain.

Despite the injuries, Verlander was still selected to the All-Star Game as a “Legends Pick” by Commissioner Rob Manfred. He announced his retirement shortly afterwards, effective at the end of the season.

Arguably the best pitcher of his generation, Verlander previously pitched with the Tigers from 2005 to 2017 and won the AL Rookie of the Year Award in 2006, alongside both the AL Cy Young Award and AL MVP in 2011. He led Detroit to a pair of World Series appearances in 2006 and 2012, and ultimately finished his initial tenure with a 183-114 record, a 3.49 ERA and 2,373 strikeouts before being traded to the Houston Astros on August 31, 2017.

Verlander enjoyed continued success in Houston from 2017 to 2022, winning two more Cy Young Awards in 2019 and 2022 alongside a pair of World Series championships in 2017 and 2022. He spent half of the 2023 season with the New York Mets before making a second stint with the Astros that lasted until 2024; he then pitched for the San Francisco Giants last year before his return to Detroit.

Heading into his final career game, Verlander has pitched 3,571.1 career innings with a 3.33 ERA, 3.44 FIP and 1.14 WHIP; joining the prestigious 3,000 strikeout club on September 28, 2019, Verlander’s 3,554 strikeouts are the eighth-most in MLB history.

The Tigers will hold celebrations for Verlander this weekend, but those will figure to continue after his playing career as well. It is extremely likely that both the Tigers and Astros retire his number 35 in the coming years, while he is a lock to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame as soon as he’s eligible in 2032.