Detroit Tigers Announce Unfortunate Decision on Justin Verlander
· Yahoo Sports
The Detroit Tigers officially made a difficult but expected decision regarding veteran pitcher Justin Verlander on Sunday.
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Detroit transferred Verlander to the 60-day injured list as the organization continues navigating an increasingly brutal stretch of pitching injuries.
Justin Verlander Will Be Out Longer Than Expected
The move carries major significance because it establishes the earliest possible return date for Verlander.
Now officially on the 60-day injured list, the 43-year-old cannot return to the Tigers before May 31.
That timeline represents another frustrating setback for Detroit, especially considering Verlander has appeared in just one game this season since returning to the organization during the offseason.
The future Hall of Famer made his lone start March 30 against the Arizona Diamondbacks before eventually landing on the injured list with left hip inflammation.
Tigers Needed 40-Man Roster Space
While the move may sound alarming, the Tigers also made the decision for roster flexibility reasons.
Detroit needed to open a spot on the 40-man roster for infielder Gage Workman after placing outfielder Kerry Carpenter on the injured list.
Still, the optics are difficult.
The Tigers entered 2026 hoping Verlander could provide stability and veteran leadership behind Tarik Skubal and Framber Valdez. Instead, injuries have limited him to fewer than four innings all season.
Verlander Still Working Toward Return
Despite the unfortunate roster move, Verlander is continuing to progress through rehab.
The veteran recently completed a 38-pitch simulated game against live hitters in Kansas City, though he admitted afterward that he “wasn’t as sharp” as he hoped.
Detroit still wants Verlander to face hitters again before beginning a rehab assignment with Triple-A Toledo.
At this point, however, there is no official schedule for when that will happen.
Tigers Rotation Situation Keeps Getting Worse
The Justin Verlander injury situation is just one piece of a much larger problem for Detroit.
The Tigers are already without Tarik Skubal following elbow surgery, while Casey Mize, Troy Melton, and others also remain sidelined. Framber Valdez recently began serving a suspension as well, leaving Detroit scrambling for innings almost every night.
What once looked like one of baseball’s deepest rotations has quickly turned into survival mode.
Now, Tigers fans officially know they will be waiting even longer for Verlander’s return.