The Detroit Tigers have been one of the biggest surprises of the 2024 season and are on the cusp of completing a shocking, last-second push for the third and final American League Wild Card spot. After Tuesday's extra inning victory over the Kansas City Royals, the Tigers are just 1 1/2 games back of the Minnesota Twins in the Wild Card race.
With a young core and very little money on their payroll, the Tigers could be in position to make some significant moves this offseason. A future Hall of Famer who began his career in Detroit could be one of the players the Tigers target, according to MLB.com insider Mark Feinsand.
“I could see GM Scott Harris try to sign Justin Verlander to a homecoming, finish-your-career-back-in-Detroit kind of deal,” Feinsand wrote.
Verlander, who has dealt with neck issues this season, will not meet the necessary 140-inning threshold that would trigger his $35 million vesting player option for the 2025 season. That means that he would likely enter free agency instead of returning to the Houston Astros ahead of his age-42 season.
A player of Verlander's age also would likely not ask for more than a one or two-year contract. That way, the Tigers could offer Verlander a competitive short-term deal while still prioritizing locking up their young stars to extensions.
What Justin Verlander could bring to the Detroit Tigers in 2025
Verlander has struggled so far in 2024 in what has arguably been the worst season of his historic 19-year career. Through 15 starts, Verlander has a 4-6 record with a 5.20 ERA and 7.3 SO/9. With the way the rest of the Astros rotation has performed, Verlander's status in a potential postseason rotation is in doubt.
With the Tigers, Verlander would not necessarily be expected to be a Cy Young candidate. In a rotation led by likely AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal and two of the most promising young pitchers in baseball Reese Olson and Keider Montero, Verlander could step back into more of a veteran leadership role and focus on being a mentor.
Verlander had an incredible 12-and-a-half seasons with the Tigers before being traded to the Astros in at the trade deadline in 2017. He was the Rookie of the Year in 2006, won the Cy Young and MVP in 2011 and was named an All-Star six times. Verlander also led the Tigers to four AL Central titles, and a World Series berth in 2012.
It is clear that this current Tigers group has talent and is just missing a few veteran pieces. Even though he is nearing the end of his career, Verlander would be a perfect fit to usher in the next generation of superstars in Detroit.
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