Justin Verlander Fantasy Stats

Detroit Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander (hip) will throw a live batting practice session on Saturday, according to Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic. It will be Verlander's first time facing hitters since landing on the 15-day injured list in early April with left-hip inflammation. It's a positive step for the 43-year-old veteran, but there's still no specific timetable for his return, and we wouldn't be surprised if he's not back with the Tigers until the calendar flips to May. In his lone start in his return to Motown in 2026 against the Arizona Diamondbacks on March 30, Verlander struggled, allowing five earned runs on six hits (one homer) while walking two and striking out only one in 3 2/3 innings. Durability is a major question for the future Hall of Famer and three-time Cy Young winner as he nears the end of his outstanding career, although he did make 29 starts with the San Francisco Giants a year ago. In addition to injury issues, Verlander is no longer the dominant strikeout artist he once was, and he's only rostered in 5% of Yahoo leagues.

Detroit Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander (hip) will throw another bullpen session in his rehab, and he's taking steps forward, but he's still not "asymptomatic," according to Evan Woodbery of MLive Media Group. There has been no talk of sending Verlander on a minor-league rehab assignment. The 43-year-old's body just isn't responding the way he'd like it to as he nears the end of his outstanding and likely Hall of Fame career. Verlander doesn't seem much closer to returning from the 15-day injured list. He missed all of April and doesn't have a clear path to a speedy recovery. The former MVP, three-time Cy Young winner, and nine-time All-Star is clearly running out of steam and has had a tough time staying healthy in recent years. In his lone start in 2026 against the Arizona Diamondbacks on March 30, he allowed five earned runs on six hits (one homer) while walking two and striking out only one in 3 2/3 innings. Verlander is now rostered in just 5% of Yahoo leagues.

Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said that veteran right-hander Justin Verlander's (hip) bullpen session on Wednesday was "encouraging," according to Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic. However, it remains to be seen how much longer it will be before Verlander can make his 2026 season debut. The 43-year-old future Hall of Famer went on the 15-day injured list on April 4 with left-hip inflammation, and it's been a slow and frustrating rehab for the veteran hurler. Verlander was pleased with his mechanics during Wednesday's bullpen. It's unclear where he goes from here, but he'll likely throw at least one more bullpen before facing live hitters. Verlander will need at least one simulated game or minor-league rehab start before returning to the major-league roster in Detroit. In Verlander's place, right-hander Keider Montero has pitched well with a 3.68 ERA, so the Tigers don't have to rush Verlander back. With durability concerns and a declining strikeout rate, Verlander doesn't have much fantasy upside near the end of his career. He's only rostered in 5% of Yahoo leagues.

Detroit Tigers manager AJ Hinch said that right-handed veteran Justin Verlander (hip) is scheduled to throw a bullpen before the game on Wednesday, according to Chris McCosky of The Detroit News. Verlander, who is on the 15-day injured list due to hip inflammation, has been slow to recover and won't be back in Detroit until the calendar flips to May. It should come as no surprise that a 43-year-old pitcher's rehab is "going slower than anticipated," which is why the three-time Cy Young winner, former MVP, and nine-time All-Star is only rostered in 5% of Yahoo leagues these days. The 21-year-old MLB veteran is running out of steam late in his amazing career and has had trouble staying on the mound as he ages. In his only start for the Tigers before landing on the IL this year, Verlander allowed five earned runs on six hits (a homer) while walking two and striking out one in only 3 2/3 innings of work. Not only is his strikeout rate declining rapidly, but he's having trouble staying healthy. It feels weird to say, but there are plenty of much younger upside stashes at starting pitcher in fantasy in 2026.

Detroit Tigers veteran right-hander Justin Verlander (hip) threw a bullpen session on Wednesday, according to Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic. However, Verlander's recovery is "going a little slower than I think he anticipated or we anticipated," manager A.J. Hinch said. The Tigers will continue to take the 43-year-old future Hall of Famer's recovery on a day-by-day basis. Verlander is currently on the 15-day injured list with a left-hip injury, and his return to Detroit's starting rotation doesn't appear to be on the horizon. In his lone start this year in his return to the Tigers, Verlander gave up five runs on six hits while walking two and striking out just one in 3 2/3 innings versus the Arizona Diamondbacks on March 30. Keider Montero has pitched well early on in 2026 and will continue to make starts for the Tigers in Verlander's place. Verlander isn't the dominant arm that we've come to know from the peak of his career, and his ability to stay healthy the rest of the way is a big question mark.

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Justin Verlander (hip) has been placed on the 15-day injured list with left-hip inflammation. The move is retroactive to April 1, meaning Verlander will be eligible to return as soon as April 16. The 22-year MLB veteran has made just one start this season, allowing five runs, two walks, and one strikeout through 3.1 innings of work. Despite being 43 years old, injuries haven't become an overly common theme for Verlander yet, as he made 29 starts last year. Tigers fans will hope that he returns after the minimum 15 days to offer Detroit an effective No. 4 starter. Keider Montero has been recalled from Triple-A and will presumably make at least a couple of starts in Verlander's absence.

Free-agent pitcher Justin Verlander agreed to a one-year, $13 million contract with the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday, $11 million of which is deferred. The veteran pitcher spent 2025 with the Giants, going 4-11 with a 3.85 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, and a 12.8 percent K-BB% in 152 innings pitched. Although it was an improvement on an injury-marred 2024, the three-time Cy Young award winner would be hard to trust for fantasy, with a high SIERA (4.44) and low strikeout rates (8.11 K/9) last season. The switch from pitcher-friendly Oracle Park to Comerica Park doesn't do him any favors either. The soon-to-be-43-year-old is going undrafted in most 2026 fantasy leagues, although there are probably riskier options at the end of deep-league drafts if managers want to roll the dice to see if a return to the place where he broke into the majors brings about some sort of revival.

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Baltimore Orioles are among the clubs that have shown interest in free agent right-handed pitcher Justin Verlander. Rosenthal noted that the 43-year-old is still receiving interest from several clubs, but given his connection with Orioles GM Mike Elias, the Orioles appear to be among the favorites to land him. However, given that the Orioles are still actively pursuing starting pitching, they could look to pivot to an option with more upside, according to Rosenthal. Last season, Verlander logged 152 innings with the San Francisco Giants and held a 3.85 ERA with a 1.36 WHIP. He struck out only 137 hitters and generated a 37th percentile 4.24 xERA under the hood. Given his decreasing strikeout production and high ratios, Verlander would only be worth targeting in deep 15+ team/AL-only formats if he were to sign with the Orioles.

San Francisco Giants right-hander Justin Verlander pulled a George Costanza and went out on a high note in a 4-3 win over the Colorado Rockies on Saturday. Making his last start of the season, the 42-year-old future Hall of Famer fired six innings of two-run, five-hit ball with seven strikeouts against one walk to notch the 266th win of his career. Verlander went a dismal 4-11 in 29 starts this season, but his numbers suggest he deserved far better than that. Across 152 innings, he posted a 3.85 ERA with a 1.36 WHIP, 137 strikeouts, and 52 walks. The three-time Cy Young winner saved his best month for last, logging a sparkling 2.09 ERA over five starts and 30 1/3 innings in September. Verlander, who said earlier this month that he plans to pitch in 2026, should draw plenty of interest in free agency during the offseason.

San Francisco Giants right-hander Justin Verlander plans to pitch in 2026, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. Although Verlander will turn 43 in February, the future Hall of Famer and three-time Cy Young winner remains an effective starter. He turned in seven scoreless innings of three-hit ball with three strikeouts and two walks in a win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday, continuing a spectacular start to September. Verlander has taken the ball three times this month and allowed a mere one earned run on 10 hits and six walks (13 strikeouts) over 20 innings. Despite an unsightly 3-10 record, Verlander has registered a respectable 3.75 ERA with a 1.34 WHIP, 127 strikeouts, and 49 walks in 141 2/3 frames this season. The nine-time All-Star has pitched for four different teams since he began his decorated career in 2005, and as a soon-to-be free agent, he could add to that total over the winter. In the meantime, Verlander is scheduled to make his next start against the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday.