Two Current, Two Former Tigers Pitchers Trending Toward Cooperstown
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The MLB Hall of Fame is a place where every player dreams of being recognized upon the completion of their careers. However, its prestige would diminish if everyone were inducted.
With the recent announcement of Carlos Beltran, Andruw Jones, and Jeff Kent being added to Cooperstown, let’s take a look at some current and former Detroit Tigers who are already on the path to being considered for this honor.
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Two Former Tigers are No Doubt Hall of Famers
Back in the early 2010s, the Tigers had one of the most feared rotations in baseball, one that led them to the World Series in 2012 as the American League representatives. While neither of these two Tigers has donned the uniform in quite some time, their legacy is remembered by Detroit fans.
Justin Verlander
The longevity of Justin Verlander still stands as he has yet to retire from Major League Baseball. Arguably most known for his time with the Tigers (debatable since his career with the Houston Astros brought him championship gold), Verlander is easily a first-ballot Hall of Famer when his career is over.
In 13 seasons with Detroit, Verlander collected a 56.6 WAR, pitched to a 3.49 ERA and 1.19 WHIP with 2,372 strikeouts in 2,511 innings pitched. He won the 2006 Rookie of the Year Award, the 2011 Cy Young and MVP Award and six All-Star appearances.
After last season, which marked his 20th year in the pros, Verlander has achieved a career ERA of 3.32, with a record of 266 wins and 158 losses, 3,553 strikeouts, and a WAR of 82.2.
Many fans haven't ruled out the idea of Verlander returning to Detroit to fill the same role that Kenny Rogers did for the Tigers back in 2006, when they went on to win the American League pennant for the first time since 1984. However, that idea won't come to fruition unless the front office deems it necessary.
Max Scherzer
While Max Scherzer's time in Detroit wasn't as long as Verlander's, Tigers fans remembered all he did when he donned the Ole English D. In five seasons with the Tigers, Scherzer held a 3.52 ERA with a 1.197 WHIP while striking out 1,081 batters in 1,013 innings pitched.
He won his first Cy Young Award with Detroit in 2013 and was a two-time All-Star. Following last season, Scherzer has 3,489 career strikeouts and a record of 221-117 with a career ERA of 3.22. Similar to Verlander, when his career is complete, he will most definitely be cemented in Cooperstown.
Not Done Yet Candidate: Kenley Jansen
The Tigers went out and signed veteran closer Kenley Jansen to a one-year deal this offseason to help boost the bullpen. Going into his 17th season in the big leagues, if Jansen retired today, he would most likely get the nod for the Hall of Fame when eligible.
Jansen ranks fourth all-time in saves, entering 2026 with 476 under his belt. Needing just three to pass Hall of Famer Lee Smith for third place all-time, that statistic alone should give Kansen a strong case for Cooperstown.
While most will remember him for his days with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Tigers fans are hopeful he still has another dominant season left in the tank.
Needs to Continue His Dominance to Get In: Tarik Skubal
The back-to-back Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal is making a strong case to be one of the best left-handed pitchers of all-time, should he continue to pace he's on. Having yet to reach 1,000 strikeouts or surpass 1,000 innings pitched, Skubal has a long career ahead of him.
Already dominant, should Skubal keep up this pace, he could be remembered forever among the greats of MLB history. Chasing his third consecutive Cy Young Award, something that's been accomplished only by Randy Johnson and Greg Maddox, both Hall of Famers, Skubal is right on track to be remembered forever.
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Dominic Minchella is a 2024 Eastern Michigan University graduate with a BA in Communications, Media, and Theatre Arts and a Journalism minor. He covers Major League Baseball for On SI and spends his free time watching games and sharing his insights.