Detroit Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander announced Wednesday that 2026 will be his final season. Verlander has not pitched since March 30 because of hip and hamstring injuries. He will attend next week's All-Star Game in Philadelphia as a Legends Pick by commissioner Rob Manfred and be honored at the game, but he will not pitch.
"This season has challenged me in ways I haven't experienced before, both physically and mentally," Verlander said in a statement. "I've always believed that as long as I could compete at the level I expect of myself, I'd keep playing. I never wanted to retire because of a milestone, a number, or a date on the calendar. I wanted the game to tell me when it was time.
"Over the last several months, I've realized that time has come. While I'm fully committed to giving my team everything I have for the rest of this season, I've decided this will be my last. It's fitting that I get to finish where it all started -- with the Detroit Tigers, the organization that drafted me and gave me my first opportunity."
— Justin Verlander (@JustinVerlander) July 8, 2026
Verlander, 43, is a 10-time All-Star, three-time Cy Young Award winner, and two-time World Series champion. He was nearing a return from his hip injury last month when he suffered a hamstring strain. He hinted at retirement after the setback. "I've always said I want to play until the wheels fall off. I don't know, maybe they are falling off," Verlander said at the time.
The Tigers selected Verlander out of Old Dominion with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2004 Draft, and he made his MLB debut just a year later on July 4, 2005. In 2006, Verlander threw 186 innings with a 3.63 ERA, and was named the American League's Rookie of the Year. He finished seventh in the Cy Young voting and helped Detroit reach the World Series that fall.
Verlander played parts of 13 seasons with the Tigers from 2005-17, won the 2011 Cy Young and MVP awards, and was the Cy Young runner-up in both 2012 and 2016. Detroit traded Verlander to the Houston Astros in a waiver trade on Aug. 31, 2017, and he helped Houston win the franchise's first World Series championship later that year.
During his peak from 2011-19, Verlander pitched to a 3.06 ERA and averaged 213 innings and 227 strikeouts per season. He led the league in wins four times, ERA two times, innings four times, and strikeouts five times. In addition to his three Cy Young wins (2011, 2019, 2022), Verlander has six other finishes in the top five of the voting. He received MVP votes in eight seasons.
Tommy John surgery wiped out most of Verlander's 2020 season and his entire 2021 season, though he returned in 2022 to win his third career Cy Young. He signed with the New York Mets as a free agent prior to the 2023 season, was traded back to the Astros at the deadline, then signed with the San Francisco Giants (2025) and Tigers (2026) to finish his career.
"From the moment Justin Verlander rejoined our organization, the entire baseball world was reminded just how much he means to this city, this state, and our fanbase," the Tigers said in a statement. "While it is bittersweet that 2026 will be the final season of his playing career, we look forward to celebrating his extraordinary legacy alongside our fans over the coming months. We also thank Commissioner Manfred for selecting Justin as a special honoree to represent the Olde English D at this year's All-Star Game, a moment that is sure to be emotional as we recognize his decades of excellence and lasting impact on our sport."
Verlander is one of only six pitchers in history to throw three no-hitters, joining Nolan Ryan (seven), Sandy Koufax (four), Bob Feller (three), Cy Young (three), and Larry Corcoran (three). All three were complete games, not combined no-hitters.
| Team | No-hitter date | Opponent |
|---|---|---|
Tigers | June 12, 2007 | |
Tigers | May 7, 2011 | |
Astros | Sept. 1, 2019 | Toronto Blue Jays |
A slam-dunk first-ballot Hall of Famer, Verlander owns a career 266-159 record with a 3.33 ERA in over 3,500 innings. He has said in the past that he hoped to reach 300 wins, though injuries and age-related decline over the last few years took that off the table. His 266 wins are 37th all-time and his 3,571 ⅓ innings are 27th most in the Expansion Era (since 1961).
Verlander is arguably the greatest starting pitcher of the 21st century. That conversation starts with Verlander, former Tigers teammate Max Scherzer, and Los Angeles Dodgers icon Clayton Kershaw. Verlander's 82.3 WAR leads all pitchers in the 2000s, a few wins ahead of second-place Kershaw (78.1), and his 3,554 strikeouts are eighth most all-time.
The hamstring injury is expected to sideline Verlander for several weeks and it is unclear when he will return. Given that this is his final season, it is likely Verlander will push to return for at least one last farewell appearance late in the year, similar to Charlie Morton's farewell last season. The Tigers will close out the regular season with a six-game homestand.
