Three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander is returning to the team with which he started his career, signing a one-year, $13 million contract with the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday.
Verlander, who turns 43 on Feb. 20, spent his first 13 seasons with the Tigers.
“Back where it all started,” he tweeted Tuesday night.
Back where it all started pic.twitter.com/zQfMJeKtg9
— Justin Verlander (@JustinVerlander) February 11, 2026
Verlander is considered perhaps the best pitcher of his generation, with the most innings pitched, strikeouts and wins among active players.
Verlander’s 266 victories are tied with Bob Feller and Eppa Rixey for 34th on baseball’s career list, while his 3,553 career strikeouts are eighth and closely trailing Don Sutton with 3,574.
He now joins a Tigers rotation that boasts two-time defending American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, free agent acquisition Framber Valdez, who was a teammate of Verlander’s with the Houston Astros during the 2017-18 seasons, and Jack Flaherty.
Verlander’s deal with Detroit includes $11 million in deferred payments starting in 2030. The Tigers’ pitchers and catchers are scheduled to have their first spring training workout on Wednesday.
The nine-time All-Star said he wanted to return for a 21st major league season after experiencing a wild swing of highs and lows with the San Francisco Giants in 2025.
The right-hander signed a $15 million, one-year contract in January, went a team-record 16 starts before registering a win and then wrapped it up with career start No. 555, which ranks 27th all-time.
Verlander was 0-8 through his first 16 starts, but he gave up only nine earned runs over 41⅓ innings (1.96 ERA) in his last seven. Overall, he went 4-11 with a 3.85 ERA with 137 strikeouts in 152 innings pitched.
After a dominant 13-year stretch with the Tigers, Verlander found a second life after joining the Astros in 2017. He won Cy Young Awards in 2019 and 2022 — and after the latter signed a two-year, $86.6 million contract with the New York Mets. Verlander spent 16 starts with the Mets before being traded back to the Astros in August 2023.
Over his career, Verlander is 266-158 with a 3.32 ERA over 3,567⅔ innings. He has struck out 3,553 batters, walked 1,004 and won a pair of World Series with the Astros.
The Tigers’ pitchers and catchers are scheduled to have their first spring training workout Wednesday.
Valdez’s three-year, $115 million deal with Detroit was finalized Tuesday after the sides agreed to terms last week. He spent the past eight seasons with the Houston Astros.
Valdez can opt out following the 2027 season, and the deal includes a mutual option for 2029 at $40 million with a $5 million buyout. He gets salaries of $17.5 million this year, $37.5 million in 2027 and $35 million in 2028.
A two-time All-Star and 2022 World Series champion, Valdez will receive a $20 million signing bonus, entirely deferred, with payments beginning in 2030. His salary each year from 2027-29 can increase by $2 million for winning a Cy Young Award, $1 million for finishing second and $500,000 for coming in third, provided he doesn’t end the season on the injured list. It also could escalate by $2 million for winning World Series MVP and $1 million for winning ALCS MVP.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
