A 41-pitch bullpen session had Tigers premier right-hander Justin Verlander speaking optimistically about his availability for the start of the regular season. Verlander underwent surgery for core-muscle repair six weeks ago.
"It's getting to where I don't feel anything in my hips or my groing ... where I had surgery," he told the Detroit Free Press. "I'm focusing on what I normally do at this time - getting my arm in shape and refining my mechanics."
Verlander took a step back in 2013. His ERA rose nearly a point from 2012 to 3.46, his highest since 2008, though he did rebound to perform well in the postseason.