Justin Verlander: One Last Career Start on Saturday

Last winter, Justin Verlander decided to sign a one-year contract with the Tigers. The veteran, who was clearly in the twilight of his career, decided to return to where it all began.

It was a nice way to come full circle.

Except that, in the end, the outcome wasn't what we'd hoped for. Verlander made only one start this season (in March, in Arizona)… and injuries have kept him from pitching since then.

That left us wondering whether Verlander—who has announced he'll retire at the end of the season—would be able to pitch at least one last time in front of his home fans. And the good news is that it's finally going to happen.

On Saturday afternoon, Verlander will take the mound against the Pirates. It will be his final career start… and he'll be pitching for Detroit.

Justin Verlander will make the last start of his career Saturday vs. the Pirates pic.twitter.com/EYIZyzSgnH

— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) September 22, 2026

Expect a very short outing, as he hasn't pitched in a game in months.

We know that the Tigers, just like the Pirates, aren't playing for anything anymore. Both teams are out of the playoff race, but Saturday's game will still be interesting to watch.

Verlander, one of the all-time greats in sports history, is likely to receive an outpouring of love from Tigers fans who have been waiting for him all year. It's shaping up to be a beautiful moment.

The result, in reality, will be of little consequence. But it's safe to assume that Verlander—who didn't have a great outing in his only start of the season (five earned runs in 3.2 innings)—will want to go out on a high note.

He'll be able to give it his all for, hopefully, one last great performance in what has been a career marked by countless memorable outings. But in any case, it will bring things full circle in a beautiful way: it's great for everyone that he's able to make that start.

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