Tigers Potential Reunion with Legendary Free Agent Should Not Be Complicated
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The Detroit Tigers went into the offseason expected to add more to their pitching staff than any other area, and while they have done a nice job in the bullpen, there have not been many moves for the rotation.
Reinforcements should be arriving from the injured list including Reese Olson not to mention a full year for rookie sensation Troy Melton, however as last year proved, depth will be tested as injuries are an inevitable reality.
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Detroit has been linked to various remaining names in free agency such as Chris Bassitt, Lucas Giolito and Nick Martinez, but there is one pitcher who Tigers fans want to see more than anyone, and the back half of the 2025 season showed he can still get it done.
If Detroit wants to add a proven veteran on a one-year deal that would be supremely popular among the fanbase, the obvious answer is a homecoming for Justin Verlander. So why has it not happened yet?
Tigers Bringing in Justin Verlander Should Be Obvious
Last year, Detroit missed badly when they brought in Alex Cobb for the same $15 million that Verlander got from the San Francisco Giants only for Cobb to not throw a pitch for the Tigers due to a hip issue that was already present when the deal was signed.
Verlander meanwhile did not impress in the first half, but showed he had plenty left in the tank with an absolutely dominant final stretch. After the All-Star break, the soon-to-be 43-year-old pitched to a 2.99 ERA over 14 starts with 70 strikeouts in 75.1 innings.
Now a free agent once again, he should fit the bill of someone who can provide innings, mentorship and reliability not to mention selling tickets. This makes it all the more strange that Detroit has not been linked to Verlander really much at all this winter.
Tigers Ultimately Likely Go in Another Direction
As much as fans would love the move, virtually zero reported interest on Detroit's end is likely telling that holding out hope here may be a fool's errand. Verlander's lack of versatility -- and likely unwillingness to go to the bullpen if things go wrong -- make it a tough sell to a front office which loves guys who can do multiple things.
While bringing in Verlander would be both a blast of nostalgia and a boost to the starting pitcher depth, it seems on the Tigers' end that ship has likely sailed, and barring a significant shift, it would be a fairly major surprise to see happen.
Things can always change, but Detroit has a way of going about their business that does not leave a lot of room for guys like Verlander in their age 43 season.
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Michael Brauner is a 2022 graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in Sports Media. He covers various MLB teams across the On SI network and you can also find his work on Yellowhammer News covering the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers as well as on the radio producing and co-hosting 'The Opening Kickoff' every weekday morning on 105.5 WNSP FM in Mobile, Alabama.