Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander added 20 pounds of muscle in the offseason, and has been receiving positive reports from catcher James McCann after his latest bullpen session on Tuesday, reports the Detroit Free Press.
"All bullpen long, he was hitting his spots," McCann said. "I was very impressed. That's a really good sign three days before camp even starts."
Verlander will turn 32 in the next few days, and is seeking a bounce-back campaign. General manager Dave Dombrowski indicated the Tigers are expecting big things from Verlander in 2015 after he went 15-12 with a 4.54 ERA in 2014.
"I talked to some of the trainers that have been down here, and they say he's throwing very well," said pitching coach Jeff Jones, who also attended Verlander's session. "He's very optimistic. He looks good, and that's the thing. He put on some weight, some good, strong weight."