Why Tigers Should Not Worry About Justin Verlander’s Latest Spring Start
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The Detroit Tigers lost another spring training game on Thursday, losing 4-3 to the New York Yankees. It's better for the Tigers to get these losses out of the way now, but it makes sense that some would be concerned about the franchise being several games under .500 in spring action.
Returning Detroit legend Justin Verlander took the mound on Thursday and pitched his way into the fourth inning, but was hit around more than he and fans would have liked. Pitching in 3.1 innings, Verlander allowed three earned runs on four hits, three of which were solo home runs to left-handers.
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He did have the swing and miss working in his favor, striking out five in 61 pitches thrown, 35 of which were strikes. And while Verlander hasn't had the best spring thus far, he and the rest of the organization are composed with the outcomes and haven't shown any concern with his pitching.
Verlander's Takeaways from Thursday
Verlander was upset with how he yanked his fastball against the Yankees, calling it a complete "no-no" for pitchers to do. But he knows himself and his pitching style and isn't concerned with the results he's had on the mound this spring.
“In the middle of the game, it's frustrating when you do it again, but that's Spring Training. It's what it's for. Your timing's not quite there. Mechanics aren't quite there. It's what this is for. At the same time, gotta be better. That's something that sticks out like a sore thumb for me today. I can't be yanking fastballs like that," Verlander said to MLB.com's Jason Beck.
The sentence "Your timing's not quite there, mechanics aren't quite there; It's what this is for" is the main message Tigers fans should take away from this outing. Despite giving up the home runs, Verlander pitched well, only allowing one extra hit that wasn't a home run and two walks in his outing.
The Tigers brought Verlander back not because they expect him to be the Verlander of old, but they brought him back to be the version of himself that he is now. Detroit is getting an established pitcher who can still command lineups at this point in his career, for a very low salary.
Some may think this signing was pure nostalgia, but the Tigers organization and Verlander both know there is unfinished business for both parties in Detroit: a World Series championship.
As opening day approaches, Verlander will continue to work on his fastball, which has always been one of his best pitches.
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.