Justin Verlander already knows when the Detroit Tigers will celebrate his career.
What he still does not know is whether he will get to finish it where he wants to finish it: standing on a Major League mound.
Verlander is expected to throw off a mound Saturday as he continues working back from left hip inflammation and a left hamstring strain, according to MLB's latest Tigers injury update. If his body responds, the 43-year-old could advance to a rehab ***** ignment and potentially pitch for Detroit before his retirement becomes official at the end of the season.
That makes Saturday considerably more important than a routine September bullpen session.
Verlander has already announced that 2026 will be his final season. Detroit has already planned the goodbye.

#tigers #mound #left #justin

Regular readers know that I've followed one of the great Cy Young horse races in recent memory, with Cam Schlittler going great start-for-great start with the Blue Jays' Dylan Cease. We got a little bit of separation this week, as the Athletics touched up Cease for four runs in five innings on Monday, and then Schlittler allowed just a solo shot in seven frames against the Rockies on Tuesday. Cam has crept just ahead by fWAR, enjoys a considerable lead in bWAR, and right now I think would end up at the top of most voters' ballots.
But something struck me in the aftermath of Cam's night against Colorado, the same night that Aaron Judge returned to the lineup. Cam Schlittler isn't just the Cy Young favorite, but he's built himself an MVP case. No pitcher has won the award since Clayton Kershaw for the 2014 Dodgers, and the last AL winner was 2011 Justin Verlander. Yordan Alvarez is in the hunt for the first Triple Crown since Miguel Cabrera, Bobby Witt Jr. is probably the best overall player in the league, and if Junior Caminero tops the AL in home runs and plays on the Junior Circuit's best team, he probably gets his share of votes too.
And yet here's the thing: Cam stacks up fairly against all three of them!
Let's take Yordan, who I think has the inside track on the award right now. Schlittler's 0.1 fWAR back, a difference that is literally negligible, and more than three-quarters of a win better by bWAR. Alvarez's candidacy is based around the Triple Crown, probably being the best hitter in baseball, and dragging what we thought was a finally-deflated Houston Astros team to a division ****** le. ****** py AL West or not, that is exactly the blueprint for an MVP, if one for a slightly older voter.
Should Alvarez not win the Triple Crown, he loses a bit of his case, though he's likely still the best hitter in the game on a division winner, one who will have played in the neighborhood of 155 games. That's the big thing both undercutting Witt's MVP claim while bolstering his position as best all-around player — the Kansas City shortstop has only played 128 games at time of writing, yet leads the league in fWAR and bWAR among position players. With a solid-but-not-spectacular 18 homers and 124 wRC+, the parts of his game beyond hitting are doing the heavy lifting there as well. All that and the fact that the Royals are so bad work against him when it comes to end of season awards though, and Bobby seems cursed to be the Dave Stieb of shortstops.

#schlittler #young #cease

The Minnesota Twins paid tribute to future Hall of Fame pitcher Justin Verlander with a pregame video on Wednesday ahead of his final career series in Minnesota.
The video highlighted memorable AL Central matchups and messages from former Twins stars like Torii Hunter and Joe Mauer who battled against Verlander during his 21-year career.
"I just want to congratulate you on an incredible career," said Mauer, who had a lifetime batting average of .317 against Verlander.
"It was an honor to share the field and compete against you. The truth of the matter is you were a true ace."
Following his retirement announcement in July 2026, this series marks Verlander's final regular-season trip to Minneapolis as a member of the Tigers.

#verlander #minnesota #fame

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer moved into 10th place all-time in strikeouts, passing Hall of Famer Walter Johnson in the Blue Jays' 7-5 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday night.
The 42-year-old Scherzer, making his ninth start of the season, has 3,516 career strikeouts, one more than Johnson, and is second to Justin Verlander (3,554) in strikeouts among active pitchers.
Scherzer struck out Kyle Schwarber leading off the sixth to move past Johnson before giving up consecutive home runs to Trea Turner and Bryce Harper that tied the game at 2 and ended his night.
Scherzer cruised through five scoreless innings against Philadelphia, scattering just three hits, and had retired nine in a row before the consecutive drives by Turner and Harper. He allowed two runs on five hits with four strikeouts and lowered his ERA to 7.25.
Scherzer was selected in the first round (No. 11 overall) by Arizona in the 2006 draft. He has won three Cy Youngs, made eight All-Star teams and won two World Series ****** les.

#strikeouts

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Nathan Lukes hit a two-run home run in the 11th inning and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 7-5 on Saturday night.
Max Scherzer started for Toronto and moved into 10th place all-time in strikeouts with 3,516, passing Hall of Famer Walter Johnson (3,515). He is second on the list among active pitchers behind Justin Verlander (3,554).
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. homered and had two RBIs for the Blue Jays, who will go for a three-game series sweep on Sunday.
Scherzer surrendered two runs on five hits with four strikeouts. He struck out Kyle Schwarber leading off the sixth to move past Johnson before giving up consecutive home runs to Trea Turner and Bryce Harper that tied the game at 2 and ended the right-hander's night.
Lukes drove a two-out, 3-2 sweeper off Chase Shugart (2-1) into the seats in right for the winning runs.

#lukes #toronto #scherzer #johnson

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Max Scherzer has moved to 10th on the all-time strikeout list, passing Walter Johnson.
Scherzer achieved the feat by getting Kyle Schwarber to strike out looking in the bottom of the sixth inning. It was his fourth punchout of the game. Unfortunately, Trae Turner and Bryce Harper followed it up with a solo home run apiece, which forced Toronto to go to the bullpen.
The veteran starting pitcher entered the day with 3,512 career strikeouts, only three behind tying Johnson. Scherzer struck out Harper in the first inning, Garrett Stubbs in the third inning, and then Bryan De La Cruz in the fifth inning to tie the Hall of Famer.
Scherzer has the second-most strikeouts among active pitchers. He trails only Justin Verlander, who has 3,554. The veteran Verlander has already indicated that this will be his final season.
The Blue Jays pitcher will now set his sights on ******* Perry, who had 3,534 strikeouts. With Scherzer finishing Saturday night's game with 5,316, he only needs 19 strikeouts to move into sole possession of ninth-place all-time.

#toronto

Just minutes after the Dodgers dropped their second game in a row against the Boston Red Sox, they struck gold with a blockbuster deal that will define this year's trade deadline. In a move that was widely expected to come to fruition, the Dodgers got their big catch of the deadline as they struck gold by acquiring Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers.
The Dodgers did not have to move that much prospect capital, as the return haul to Detroit includes outfielder Zyhir Hope, and pitchers River Ryan and Brady Smith. With the Dodgers once again signifying their dominance in the trade market, here are some reactions to the Dodgers acquiring Skubal.
Mike Petriello of MLB.com writes about how the Dodgers deal for Skubal could go down as the greatest deadline deal for an ace that we've ever seen, comparing the deal to the Brewers acquiring Hall of Fame pitcher C.C. Sabathia in 2008.
We're talking pitchers as legendary and accomplished as Johnson, Scherzer, Sabathia and Verlander; we're talking about some great seasons from solid hurlers like Jeff Samardzija, Luis Castillo, Yu Darvish and Bartolo Colon; we're talking about the rare post-1986 Big June Trade in Freddy Garcia; we're talking about the best season of Sidney Ponson's career, and that one only barely.
The Dodgers' deal for Skubal now fortifies arguably the best rotation in baseball, with Sonja Chen of MLB.com noting that the team now boasts a starting staff of at least five potential aces.

#Dodgers #deadline #detroit #sabathia

Jake Rogers has a new home.
Rogers, the veteran Tigers catcher who was designated for **** ignment earlier this week, has been traded to the Baltimore Orioles. The Tigers and Orioles announced the trade Thursday afternoon.
The Tigers have acquired minor-league right-hander Zane Barnhart, who will report to Double-A Erie. Barnhart is an alum of Hillsdale College.
Barnhart, 24, was a 17th-round pick by the Orioles in 2023. This season at Double A, he is 2-3 with a 4.05 ERA in 40 appearances, all in relief. He was 45 strikeouts and 19 walks.
Rogers, 31, was acquired by the Tigers in 2017 from the Houston Astros in the Justin Verlander trade and debuted with Detroit in 2019. He was replaced as starting catcher in 2025 by Dillon Dingler.

#barnhart #double

A beloved player amongst the Detroit Tigers players, coaches and fanbase had to make way for another on Tuesday, July 28.
The Tigers reinstated shortstop/center fielder Javier Báez from the 60-day injured list ahead of Tuesday's game against the Baltimore Orioles. Detroit had to clear a roster spot on both the 26-man and 40-man roster since Báez was removed when he was placed on the 60-day list in June.
On Monday night following an 8-5 loss to the Orioles, manager A.J. Hinch and president of baseball operations Scott Harris sat down with backup catcher Jake Rogers and let him know he would be designated for ***** ignment.
Rogers, 31, has been a member of the Tigers' organization since he came over in the trade package for Justin Verlander from the Houston Astros in 2017. He made his major league debut with Detroit in 2019 and proceeded to appear in 362 games across six different seasons.
"Jake has been here as long as I have been here," Hinch said. "Scott, Jake and I met last night and did everything to walk down memory lane to just explain the timing and how decisions get made."

#orioles #list

Well this is a peculiar first move for trade deadline season. Jake Rogers, the longest tenured Detroit Tigers player, has been designated for ***** ignment. Eduardo Valencia was recalled on Sunday and will be taking over the backup catcher duties. Rogers' roster spot will go to Javier Báez, who returns from a three-month absence after suffering a high ankle sprain at the end of April.
The 31-year-old Rogers made his major league debut with the Tigers back on July 30, 2019 after coming to the Tigers in the trade that sent Justin Verlander to the Houston Astros in August of 2017. He finally became the Tigers primary catcher in 2021 before tearing his UCL and requiring reconstruction surgery that cost him all of the 2022 season. In 2023 and 2024 Rogers put together good seasons based around his defensive ability, plate discipline, and the occasional burst of home run power. He was worth 4.7 fWAR across those two years, but since that point his offensive contributions collapsed as Dillon Dingler took over the everyday catching role. This season, Rogers' defense finally showed real signs of cracking as well. He's hitting .161/.266/.301 for a 60 wRC+ which ranks him 48th out of 59 catchers with 100 plate appearances or more this season.
Despite his struggles, two part-time White Sox catchers, and numerous others, are even worse offensive players than Rogers. It won't be a surprise if he gets claimed, but it's too bad no one would flip a lottery ticket prospect to acquire him. The problem is that Rogers defensive numbers have declined this year and he's finally grading out a little below average as a defender. Whether that's partly the result of lack of playing time is hard to say, but hopefully he'll be claimed somewhere. If he clears waivers and is outrighted the Tigers will still be on the hook for the rest of his $3.05M salary for 2026.
Valencia is far and away a better hitter than Rogers, so that should provide a little support to the offense. On the other hand, Valencia isn't that good behind the plate, particularly in terms of holding opponents' running game in check. Still with Rogers defensive numbers in decline, perhaps Valencia won't do worse.
Getting Báez back could be pretty helpful to the Tigers although it's just funny to look at Báez as a way to trim strikeouts in the lineup by taking over some of the workload from James Outman. It will be interesting to see how he's deployed. With Kerry Carpenter out with a foot injury, the outfield needs help. It needed help anyway. We'll see if Báez is back to full speed and can get back to playing a solid enough center field. If he's back to 100 percent, that also gives the Tigers options, with Báez getting some time at shortstop and around the infield to get another right-handed bat into the lineup. Either way, it's good to have Javy Báez back, and hopefully further support for the outfield isn't too far away as Max Clark will be available to be called up without spoiling his 2027 rookie eligibi

Working on a contract that expires at the end of this season means every move Dana Brown makes as Houston Astros general manager will be inspected closely.
Since taking over the job in January 2023, Brown has stayed busy, making 40 trades. Fifteen of those deals have been minor with the return on one side or the other simply involving cash. However, he's taken some big swings and come up a winner like when he brought back Justin Verlander at his first trade deadline and then had the foresight to get Yusei Kikuchi into the Astros' pitching system at the 2024 deadline.
He's also whiffed, especially in this past offseason. Although it's best not to judge trades too quickly, swapping Mauricio Dubón for Nick Allen and giving up two prospects for Mike Burrows, who has struggled mightily, are both looking like bad ideas.
With the trade deadline approaching on Aug. 3, Brown - and perhaps Astros owner Jim Crane - must make a decision if the Astros, who are still six games below .500 but just 3.5 games out of first place in the American League West, should be buyers or sellers.
When he's been a buyer, Brown has proven to be able to convince teams to take prospects that haven't come back to haunt the Astros, but is the team willing to roll the dice again?

#brown #trades #like #back

The American League shutout the National League 4-0 on Tuesday in the 2026 All-Star Game. Here’s some notes I took.
Keeping Score: I decided to watch the All-Star Game this year. Not only that, I decided to score the All-Star Game this year. I recently found my old scorebook and thought it’d be fun, since I’m here recapping this with you anyways. The first game in this scorebook is a Félix Hernández complete game from Opening Day 2011. The last is both halves of a doubleheader between Washington State University and Cal State Northridge in Pullman that I covered for the school paper in 2017. In between there’s the Mariners/Marlins game that was played in Seattle because of a U2 concert in Miami; a game from the Tokyo Dome that I woke up at 2 a.m. for, per my diligent notes; a game started by Blake Beavan that I did not proceed to score after the first inning; the Red Sox first game after the Boston Marathon bombing; a 2013 WBC game; a 2017 WBC game; and a bunch of losing Mariners baseball. I’m not quite sure what the point of scoring games is in 2026, with technology and such. But I’m adding to my corporeal collection of bizarre baseball games that I might not otherwise remember.
Star-Less: The 2026 All-Star Game was relatively starless. No Aaron Judge. No Shohei Ohtani. Yes Ernie Clement. I won’t lie and say that this adds to my interest in the All-Star Game, as I watch pretty much every year, albeit more passively. But it is cool that we’ll get to see a lot more of the B+ quality of player that I think makes the league so interesting these days. My takeaways from the starting lineups are that I think it’s cool CJ Abrams is batting fourth for the NL. What a year it’s been for him. The other takeaway is I initially wrote Freddie Freeman’s team in my book as “ATL” rather than “LAD.” I’m not sure what that means, but it’s the first mistake on what’s sure to be a rather messy scorecard.
The Pregame: I’m writing this as the lineups are being announced. Each player is entering through an MLB-branded Liberty Bell and jogging a few feet to a podium, where they’re signing what appears to be the starting lineups on a large, old-timey document using quill and ink. What I’ve gotten out of this All-Star week is that Philadelphia really wants you to know that their culture is boxing, the founding fathers, and booing other teams players. The only players who didn’t get booed on announcement were the Phillies players and the Philly-born players (like Mike Trout). After all the players were aligned on the chalk — a process that took a bit more than 30 minutes — the Mastercard Kids4Techᵀᴹ entered and shook all the players hands.
The Post-Pregame: Play ball! Er, commercial break… Washington’s Lottery, North Idaho College, RnR RV Center, some sort of sponcon game show called Beat Shazam… and Play Ball! Er, no let’s hear from our hosts tonight, Joe Davis and John Smoltz, who I haven’t seen since the postseason. They’re interviewing Justin Verlander, and hinting

The All-Star break is officially in full swing, and following an absolutely epic Home Run Derby Monday, fans are primed and ready for the Midsummer Classic this evening. Philadelphia is hosting the festivities for the first time since 1996, bringing the best of the best to the City of Brotherly Love. The American League leads the National League all-time, 48-45, and has dominated the better part of the last three decades, losing just five times since 1997, and winning 10 of the last 12. Though we can’t forget last season, when a tied game after nine led to the first “swing-off” tiebreaker that allowed the NL to take the W as Philly’s own Kyle Schwarber won it in dramatic fashion.
Two star-studded lineups will be managed by a pair of excellent managers. Dave Roberts, the Los Angeles Dodgers skipper, is managing back-to-back years and his fifth All-Star game, and he will have five of his players on the roster. Making his managerial debut in the Midsummer Classic, Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider will be at the helm for the American League. The Jays fell to the Dodgers in a thrilling, seven-game World Series in 2025, and though Toronto hasn’t been as dominant this season, Schneider will have four players attending with Cy Young contender — and an old White Sox pal — Dylan Cease getting the start for the AL.
Leading the field with the most elected All Stars are the hometown Philadelphia Phillies, with six players represented this year, including two-time All-Star Cristopher Sánchez, who is starting on the mound for the National League. One of the best fun facts coming out of this year’s game is that Roy Halladay was the last starting pitcher to represent both the Blue Jays (2009) and the Phillies (2011). Though we will have long-time veterans with Chris Sale, Freddie Freeman, and Justin Verlander making their 10th ASG appearance, and the legendary Mike Trout was elected for the 12th time, getting the start out in center field tonight.
There are also quite a few young guys and rookies making their All-Star debut as well, as there are 11 players under 25 years old, and 36 first-timers. There is so much talent on both rosters, but I want to focus on three of those first-timers: Miguel Vargas, Munetaka Murakami, and Tristan Peters.
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There are a lot of Detroit Tigers’ storylines playing out during All-Star Week. From Justin Verlander’s honorary selection as a Legends pick and final appearance at the MidSummer Classic as an active player, to Kevin McGonigle’s first All-Star game and triumphant return home to Philadelphia, where the Delaware County native grew up going to Citizens Bank Park to see childhood favorites like Chase Utley and Bryce Harper, to Dillon Dingler’s first All-Star Game and emergence this season as the best all round catcher in baseball, there is a lot to celebrate.In terms of the game itself, Riley Greene, making his third All-Star Game appearance, has been added to tonight’s starting lineup.
We thought we’d just put together a little round-up of clips from the Tigers’ All-Stars during media day. It’s been pretty fun watching the 43-year-old Verlander take it all in for the last time as he prepares to ride off into the sunset. The contrast between the legendary Tigers and Astros ace’s perspective, and that of the 21-year-old McGonigle’s first experience as a star player in the game, has been particularly fun to observe. Jokes have abounded regarding Verlander taking his three adult sons to the All-Star Game, as you’d expect. There have also been quite a few clips with Verlander reminiscing on his first All-Star Game back in 2007 and how the league and the game has changed.
Watching him chat with former foes like Derek Jeter, David Ortiz, and Alex Rodriguez, all now long retired, as he prepares to join them in the next phase of a ballplayer’s life has certainly provided some nostalgic moments as well.
Future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander joins the show and talks about what led to his decision to retire at the end of the season. pic.twitter.com/RZkdTYDrVB
— FOX Sports: MLB (MLBONFOX) July 13, 2026

For years, we've come to expect the MLB All-Star Game to feature players who have perennially been among the best in the sport. We become accustomed to seeing the same names fill out the rosters. Guys like Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Jacob deGrom, Chris Sale, Jose Altuve, Mike Trout, and more. While some of those names are still here in Philadelphia, it feels like we're witnessing a little bit of a changing of the guard, particularly amongst the starting pitchers.
This year's All-Star rosters had 26 first-time players selected, and 14 of the starting pitchers will be making their first or second appearance in the Midsummer Classic. Six of those starting pitchers (plus Paul Skenes, who is making his third appearance) are 26 years old or younger, and all of them, apart from Skenes, have made fewer than 35 career MLB starts. For comparison's sake, Chris Sale, who is also participating in the All-Star Game, has made 329 career starts (even with his litany of injuries).
"I think the game's changing, the game's getting younger," acknowledged Reds' starting pitcher Chase Burns, who is making his first career All-Star appearance. "I know it probably sucks to say that for older guys, but, you know, it's because of them that the game's gotten better."
That deference to the veterans was common amongst the young hurlers who were present at the All-Star game: "It's a good mix of older, veteran guys that we can learn from, and then a lot of hungry guys that are trying to make it back here every year and stay healthy," said Yankees' starter Cam Schlittler, who is also making his first All-Star appearance.
The "hungry" young guys that Schlittler talked about have been making their presence known this season. Among qualified starting pitchers, five of the top 10 starters in WAR are current All-Stars who are 26 years old or younger. Seven of the top 12 qualified starting pitchers in terms of strikeout rate are 26 years old or younger, including the Guardians' Gavin Williams and the Mets' Nolan McLean, who were not selected as All-Stars.

PHILADELPHIA — Justin Verlander smirked.
He laughed.
Then, he sneered.
Verlander was almost in utter disbelief that someone could seriously ask him the question.
“Justin, have you ever been pulled out of a perfect game or no-hitter in your career?"

The Detroit Tigers will have an All-Star starter, after all.
Tigers left fielder Riley Greene was named a starter for the American League in the 2026 MLB All-Star Game, taking place on Tuesday, July 14, at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. First pitch is set for 8 p.m. ET and the game will be televised on Fox.
This is Greene's third straight All-Star selection and second straight as a starter, though he was not initially named as a starter via the fan vote. He and New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger will replace reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge and Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton as starters.
Greene, 25, is having arguably his best year in the majors in 2026, with career highs in on-base percentage (.380) and OPS (.842) over 400 plate appearances. The 2025 Silver Slugger Award winner has seen his power numbers dip with just 13 home runs over 95 games in 2026, but he has also significantly cut down on his strikeouts and has increased his walk rate to a career-high 12.8% (league average is 9%).
Greene is one of four Tigers players to be named AL All Stars in 2026, joining shortstop Kevin McGonigle, catcher Dillon Dingler and "Legends Pick" Justin Verlander. Greene is the only Tiger to be named a starter, however.

After a horrible start to the 2026 season, the Detroit Tigers have rebounded nicely, posting the best record in the American League since June 1, leaving themselves in position to challenge for a playoff spot and a division ***** le in the second half of the season.
At the end of May, Detroit had plunged to a 22-38 record through 50 games, 16 games under .500 and 11.5 games behind in the AL Central division. The roster, and the pitching rotation in particular, was devastated by injuries, with Tarik Skubal, Casey Mize, Troy Melton, and Justin Verlander all spending time on the injured list. Reese Olson will miss the entire season, while Jack Flaherty and Kenley Jansen struggled early and joined the wounded in June, and Jackson Jobe remains on the 60-day IL.
Despite all that, the Tigers now have a healthy rotation, with Verlander and Jobe hopeful for the second half, and their rotation has the fourth-best ERA in baseball, 3.48, at the All-Star break. Tigers starters also have the fourth best BB/ 9 ratio and the lowest home run ratio in the show at just 0.99 homers per nine innings pitched. They have surrendered the third-lowest batting average and the fifth-lowest Walks plus Hits per inning (WHIP) in the majors. Keeping the ball in the yard and runners off the bases is a recipe for success in any league.
Here is where the Tigers’ rotation, bullpen, and pitching staff rank in the major leagues at the All-Star break:
Metric

Representing the Mets at the MLB Futures Game on Sunday afternoon was first baseman Ryan Clifford who entered the game as a defensive replacement in the fifth inning and worked a walk in the sixth.
Clifford, of course, was acquired by New York at the 2023 trade deadline when the Mets traded Justin Verlander and cash considerations to the Houston Astros for Clifford and Drew Gilbert.
Since then, Gilbert was traded to the San Francisco Giants and has made his MLB debut while Clifford remains in the Mets' farm system as their No. 6 ranked prospect, per SNY contributor Joe DeMayo.
Clifford, a power bat currently playing for Triple-A Syracuse, has had an up and down season in his first full season with Syracuse. The 22-year-old is slashing .196/.283/.395 with 16 home runs and 47 RBI and while the power is obvious, Clifford has struggled to make enough contact and has struck out 129 times in 86 games.
Never one to hit for a high average, Clifford is hitting a career-low this season and his .678 OPS is well-below his career average of .799 in 494 games across all minor league levels. But what Clifford lacks in batting average, he makes up for in on-base percentage and even though his walks are down this season, the lefty-swinging slugger walked in his only at-bat on Sunday against a left-hander after working the count full.

The 2026 Home Run Derby field is slowly coming into focus.
Four participants – all of whom are from the American League – have already accepted their invitations to the precursor to the MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday night, with four more spots up for grabs going into the final weekend series of the first half of the season.
The Home Run Derby is set for 8 p.m. ET on Monday, July 14 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
NIGHTENGALE: Justin Verlander's retirement marks the end of an era we'll never see again | Opinion
This year's Home Run Derby will feature several format changes, most notably the removal of the timer. Instead, each of the eight participants will be allotted a set number of swings, with every swing counting. Hitters will get 20 swings in the first round and 15 swings in both the semifinals and finals. If a player homers on the final swing of any round, they can continue hitting until a swing does not result in a home run.

Justin Verlander’s right arm was a gift to the game. And most notably to the Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros.
The former drafted him and threw him into Major League Baseball’s deep end shortly thereafter, while the latter became his second home after a late-career trade that saw him refine his craft, ratchet up his dominance and become a World Series champion.
The 266 wins, 3,554 strikeouts and three Cy Young Awards are more than enough evidence his Cooperstown case is airtight. Yet Verlander, who announced Wednesday, July 8 that he will retire after this season, was so much more than just the numbers.
Sure, he had his share of big-game failings — 556 career starts and 10 trips to the postseason will bring its share of rainfall — but Verlander also stood tall when it mattered most countless times.
Here’s five moments that defined Verlander’s nearly peerless career:

Three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander, the oldest active player in Major League Baseball at 43, will retire after the 2026 season, he said on Wednesday.
"This season has challenged me in ways I haven't experienced before, both physically and mentally," Verlander, the 2011 American League Most Valuable Player, said in a statement posted on X.
"I've always believed that as long as I could compete at the level I expect of myself, I'd keep playing. I never wanted to retire because of a milestone, a number or a date on the calendar. I wanted the game to tell me when it was time.
"Over the last several months, I've realized that time has come," he added.
Verlander returned to the Detroit Tigers this season on a one-year, $13 million contract.

Detroit — Justin Verlander announced Wednesday that this will be his final season.
The three-time Cy Young winner and two-time World Series champion made the announcement in a letter after he was selected to the All-Star game as a Legend Pick by commissioner Rob Manfred.
“This season has challenged me in ways I haven’t experienced before, both physically and mentally,” he wrote. “I’ve always believed that as long as I could compete at the level I expect of myself, I’d keep playing. I never wanted to retire because of a milestone, a number or a date on the calendar. I wanted the game to tell me it was time.
“Over the last several months, I’ve realized that time has come.”
Verlander, 43, who is on the injured list with a hamstring strain, said he was still committed to working his way back this season.

One of the greatest pitchers of his generation is calling it a career.
Detroit Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander announced Tuesday that the 2026 season will be his last, bringing an end to a remarkable Major League Baseball career that has spanned more than two decades and cemented his place among the sport’s all-time greats.
Verlander shared the news in a heartfelt statement, thanking the Commissioner of Baseball for selecting him to the 2026 All-Star Game before revealing that he has decided this will be his final season.
“This season has challenged me in ways I haven’t experienced before, both physically and mentally,” Verlander wrote. “Over the last several months, I’ve realized that time has come.”
Verlander’s decision carries added significance because he is finishing where it all began.

Tigers' Justin Verlander makes retirement announcement amid All-Star news originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Detroit Tigers got some cool news on Wednesday, as Justin Verlander, according to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, was named as a "Legends Pick" for the All-Star Game this season.
While he's not going to pitch during the game, Verlander has been named an All-Star by MLB this season. However, not long after this announcement was made, Verlander made a huge announcement of his own.
As Verlander announced, the 2026 season will be his last, as he's retiring from Major League Baseball after this season comes to an end.
"... I never wanted to retire because of a milestone, a number, or a date on the calendar. I wanted the game to tell me when it was time," Verlander writes. "Over the last several months, I've realized that time has come. While I'm fully committed to giving my team everything I have for the rest of this season, I've decided this will be my last."

Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal unleashed his emotions after a clutch strikeout.
Not in the way he normally does.
This time, Skubal exchanged words with Chicago White Sox left-handed reliever Mike Vasil as he walked to the dugout after striking out Colson Montgomery (for the third time in as many plate appearances) to strand the bases loaded in the top of the fifth inning Friday, June 19, at Comerica Park.
OH NO: Justin Verlander opens up after setback: 'Maybe wheels are falling off'
In Friday's game, Skubal allowed three runs on seven hits and one walk with eight strikeouts across 5⅔ innings, throwing 94 pitches. Not long after his trash talk, he surrendered a solo home run to Junior Perez with one out in the sixth inning.

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.

Justin Verlander won't start on Sunday, after all. The veteran had been scheduled to make his first appearance for the Detroit Tigers since March 30. It would have doubled as his first start for the Tigers at Comerica Park in close to nine years.
Because of a new injury, though, the nine-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion right-handed pitcher will be out for a while longer.
"This is not a matter of days," Detroit manager A.J. Hinch said, according to MLB.com. "It's a matter of weeks."
Verlander, who was working his way back from a left hip issue that landed him on the injured list one start into his reunion with the Tigers, is now nursing a left hamstring strain that he suffered during a bullpen session in Houston.
The Tigers were just there for a three-game series against the Astros, with whom Verlander won both of his rings, and now they're back home preparing for a three-game set versus the Chicago White Sox.

Justin Verlander was scheduled to come off the injured list to start on Sunday in Detroit, but instead, a new injury has popped up. He will stay on the IL after suffering a left hamstring strain while throwing a side session while the team was in Houston. In addition, Wenceel Pérez’s plyo band misadventure sends him to the injured list with a left orbital fracture. Reports suggest that his eye and eyesight are not affected, which is about the only good news out of any of this. Utility player Trei Cruz has been called up and will start in right field for the Tigers on Friday night, making his family just the seventh to put three different generation of players into the major leagues.
The Verlander news is unfortunate, but it might also be a bit of mercy. Taking Keider Montero out of the starting rotation isn’t the move right now in a baseball sense. With the Tigers likely to trade Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize, at a minimum, at the trade deadline, they might actually have more use for innings from Verlander in the final two months of the season. For all the bad of the 2026 season, there may still be an opportunity for Verlander to ride off into the sunset in front of the Detroit faithful in August and September. We’ll see if he can finally get right, or if it’s just not there anymore at age 43.
As for Pérez, the concern from the team, combined with the lack of specifics about the plyo band incident, were pretty concerning. Beyond baseball, there was fear that Pérez might have taken a shot to the eye itself. An orbital fracture isn’t great, but that will heal up with no long lasting effects, presumably. Just another bizarre injury in an absolutely cursed season.
As for Trei Cruz, while his statline in Toledo is pretty ugly, it needs to be remembered that he was injured for part of that time, and is only now a few weeks into getting regular reps. His good numbers at Triple-A in 2025 are probably more indicative of the real player. Either way, the switch hitter is going to do a whole lot of damage at the plate anyway. His game is working really pesky at-bats, situational hitting, stealing some bases, and occasionally chipping in some gap power. His real value is in the ability to play anywhere on the diamond, including shortstop, and play against left-handers as well as right-handed pitching. That might make it a little easier to get something out of a bench that has been downright horrendous in 2026.
In any case, with the season pretty well lost at this point, it’s just nice to see some new faces while we wait for Skubal and Mize to get it going enough to stabilize their trade value.

HOUSTON – A few hours before their series opener, the Detroit Tigers learned right-hander Troy Melton would be scratched from his scheduled start with back tightness.
The injury forced a bullpen-only pitching plan.
It wasn't perfect, but six relievers worked together for a 9-3 win over the Houston Astros on Monday, June 15, in the first of three games in the series at Daikin Park. After Melton's injury, second baseman Gleyber Torres exited the game with an undisclosed injury after a violent swing in the second inning.
Colt Keith provided big swings of a different kind, with three home runs.
SHAWN WINDSOR: Justin Verlander's 2nd turn with Tigers can't come fast enough for him