Justin Verlander Returns To Tigers On One-Year Contract

Justin Verlander will return to his original team, the Detroit Tigers, on a one-year contract.

Verlander will make $13 million with this contract. However, $11 million will be deferred and paid out through 2030. 

In 2025, Verlander had a 3.85 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 103 ERA+ in 29 starts with the San Francisco Giants. From July until the end of the season, he pitched to a 3.56 ERA. 

These stats were an improvement over his 2024 stats with the Houston Astros. In that season, he had a 5.48 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 74 ERA+. 

The one thing that didn’t improve from 2024 to 2025 was the number of hits Verlander allowed. In both seasons, he allowed over nine hits per nine innings. This means he allows a hit almost every inning based on averages. 

Verlander first pitched for the Tigers from 2005 to 2017. He pitched just 11 innings in 2005 before getting a full season of play in 2006. In 2006, he won the American League Rookie of the Year award and finished seventh in American League Cy Young voting. In 2011, he won the American League MVP and Cy Young Award. 

Verlander is currently projected to be the Tigers’ No. 4 starter. At the top of the rotation they have back-to-back American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal and their big offseason signing Framber Valdez. 

Tigers pitchers and catchers report began Feb. 11. Their first spring training game is Feb. 21 against the New York Yankees. 

The Tigers looked strong for most of last season, but experienced a collapse at the end of the season. The Tigers hope the additions of Valdez and Verlander can help prevent another late-season collapse. Both Valdez and Verlander were a part of the 2022 World Series-winning Astros team.