Justin Verlander took another step in his return Friday night, throwing a 50-pitch live session to hitters at Comerica Park as the Detroit Tigers opened a series against the Toronto Blue Jays. The work came a day after the Tigers had been swept by the New York Mets at Citi Field, but the bigger concern in Detroit remained Verlander’s health and what comes next.
A.J. Hinch said Verlander’s stuff was better than in the last session and that his fastball was up a tick. He is scheduled to throw another session around the middle of next week. For a pitcher who has appeared in only one game this season, the outing was a meaningful checkpoint rather than a finish line.
Verlander, 42, pitched March 30, when he worked 3.2 innings and allowed six hits and five runs. The Tigers moved him to the 60-day injured list on May 10, a roster move that underscored how long his recovery has stretched. Friday’s session was the latest sign that he is getting closer to facing live hitters again, even if the club is still measuring everything in small increments.
The Tigers have had plenty of reason to keep one eye on the injury list. The club opened the night already dealing with multiple absences, and the roster shuffle that sent Verlander to the 60-day injured list was part of that larger picture. Detroit also announced that Kerry Carpenter was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left AC joint sprain, while Gage Workman was selected from Triple-A Toledo to help fill the gap.
Verlander’s return to Detroit has already been one of the more notable storylines of the season. The Tigers signed him to a one-year contract for the 2026 season on Feb. 10, bringing back a pitcher who spent the 2025 season with the San Francisco Giants after earlier stops with Houston and the Mets. Before that, he built the reputation that made the homecoming possible, winning two World Series championships with the Astros and earning three American League Cy Young awards across a nine-time All-Star career.
For Detroit, the relevance is immediate. Friday’s live session did not mean Verlander is ready to take the ball in a game, but it did show enough progress to keep the conversation moving. If the next workout goes well, the Tigers should have a clearer read on whether he can rejoin a staff that has already been forced to absorb too much damage early.
