The moment that Tigers fans have spent years begging for is finally here: Justin Verlander is back in Detroit.
The one-year, $13 million reunion with the future Hall of Famer — who turns 43 later this month — lands just days after the Tigers committed three years and $115 million to left-hander Framber Valdez. Add in the $32 million owed to arbitration winner Tarik Skubal in 2026, and suddenly Detroit is operating like a franchise that expects to win now.
The Tigers’ projected payroll sits north of $242 million — a franchise record (not adjusting for inflation) and top-10 in Major League Baseball for the first time since Verlander last wore the Old English D.