Detroit Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander is eligible to return from the injured list Thursday, April 16, for a matchup against the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park.
That won’t happen.
The 43-year-old took a step in the right direction before Saturday’s game against the Miami Marlins by completing a bullpen session, only the latest development hasn’t cleared him to return from left hip inflammation.
“We’re not going to activate him right off the bullpen,” manager A.J. Hinch said pregame Saturday. “We think this is a huge step for him with the high-intensity bullpen, and then we’ll evaluate after that what’s next.”
The Tigers placed Verlander on the injured list April 4, retroactive to April 1.
Verlander allowed five runs on six hits and two walks with one strikeout across 3⅔ innings in his much-anticipated March 30 return to the Tigers, facing the Arizona Diamondbacks.
He felt tightness in his left hip during that 80-pitch start.
Before returning, Verlander needs to participate in at least one rehab start or simulated game. Once that happens, he should be cleared to re-join the Tigers’ rotation.
“We haven’t finalized it yet,” Hinch said. “It’s always a question on what the player can get the most out of and where it is and things like that. Because we needed to get through the bullpen, that next round of what we’re going to do to push him hasn’t been determined yet. I think all options are open.”
Verlander signed a one-year, $13 million contract with the Tigers in early February. He previously pitched for the Tigers from 2005-17, securing 183 of the 266 wins during his 21-year MLB career.
He hasn’t pitched for Triple-A Toledo since making two rehab starts in 2015, recovering from a right triceps strain.
Aside from those two starts, his only other appearances in the minor leagues with the Tigers came before his MLB debut: 13 starts in High-A Lakeland and seven starts in Double-A Erie. He made his MLB debut in July 2005 after the Tigers selected him with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2004 draft.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Justin Verlander takes ‘huge step’ with injury, won’t return when eligible
Reporting by Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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