KANSAS CITY, MO – Detroit Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander finally returned to a competitive setting.
The 43-year-old faced hitters Saturday, May 9, for the first time since being placed on the injured list. The last time he pitched in that type of setting occurred March 30 against the Arizona Diamondbacks in his first and only start of the 2026 season.
Verlander threw 38 pitches in a two-inning simulated game.
“I wasn’t as sharp as I would like to be,” Verlander said before Saturday’s game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. “Physically, it was another step in the right direction. Check the box and keep moving forward.”
The Tigers placed Verlander on the 15-day injured list April 4, retroactive to April 1, with left hip inflammation. The 21-year MLB veteran is expected to need at least one start on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Toledo before returning to the Tigers.
He isn’t ready for a rehab assignment yet.
“I think it was a step forward,” manager A.J. Hinch said before Saturday’s game. “I’ve said he needs to do multiple things, and I still think that way. We’ll continue to give him more and set up another session for him.”
In Saturday’s session, Verlander matched up with infielder Hao-Yu Lee and outfielder Wenceel Pérez. He threw 17 pitches in the first inning and 21 pitches in the second inning, generating just four swings and misses.
Each batter received four plate appearances.
All eight plate appearances resulted in balls in play during the simulated game.
“Still a work in progress,” Verlander said of his mechanics, which has been his biggest focus in an effort to avoid another injury and improve his performance. “It wasn’t as good as I would’ve liked, but it was still better than where it was.”
In the first, Pérez hit a fly ball to right field that could’ve been a double, and in the second, Lee crushed a line drive to left-center field that would’ve been a double and smacked a ground ball up the middle that could’ve been a single.
Verlander didn’t walk any batters.
He also didn’t produce any strikeouts.
“This is more [pitches],” Verlander said, “and a lot more intent behind most of them. It was a pretty large step forward. I expect to be a little sore tomorrow, but leg soreness is OK.”
What’s next for Verlander in the rehab process?
“I need more volume,” Verlander said.
“We have to walk that fine line of pushing him volume-wise to build his endurance,” Hinch said, “but also, the quality has to come with it. We want him to be able to compete.”
Verlander signed a one-year, $13 million contract in early February, returning to the Tigers for the first time since being traded in September 2017.
He previously pitched for the Tigers from 2005-17.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander throws simulated game in injury rehab
Reporting by Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
