Justin Verlander announced Wednesday that he intends to retire at the end of the season, marking the end of a remarkable career.
The 43-year-old pitcher will be attending his 10th All-Star game next week, after it was also announced Wednesday that he was named to the American League team as a “Legends Pick.”
“I want to thank the Commissioner for the incredible honour of being selected to the All-Star game,” Verlander said in a post on social media. “The opportunity to attend once again is something I’ll cherish, and it will be an incredibly special moment for me and my family.”
The Detroit Tigers started has appeared in just one game this season, where he allowed five earned runs in 3.2 innings in a start on March 30 and was placed on the injured list a day later with hip inflammation.
On the cusp of a return to action in June, Verlander suffered a separate hamstring injury that has kept him on the shelf since and will not allow him to play in the All-Star game.
“This season has challenged me in ways I haven’t experienced before, both physically and mentally. I’ve always believed that as long as I could compete at the level I expect of myself, I’d keep playing,” Verlander said. “I wanted the game to tell me when it was time.
“Over the last several months, I’ve realized that time has come. While I’m fully committed to giving my team everything I have for the rest of this season, I’ve decided this will be my last.”
Verlander joins Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper as the two Legends Picks for the game, as selected by commissioner Rob Manfred. Previous Legends Picks include Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw in 2025, and first basemen Miguel Cabrera and Albert Pujols in 2022.
Verlander returned to Detroit this year for the first time since 2017 after the 43-year-old spent the first 13 years of his future-Hall-of-Fame career there. Verlander won a Rookie of the Year award, a Cy Young award and an AL Most Valuable Player award in his time with the Tigers.
“It’s fitting that I get to finish where it all started - with the Detroit Tigers, the organization that drafted me and gave me my first opportunity.”
The Tigers selected Verlander with the second-overall pick in the 2004 MLB Draft, and he debuted with the team at the end of the 2005 season. The following year, Verlander pitched to a 3.63 earned-run average with a 17-9 record, earning Rookie of the Year honours and kickstarting a career that would see him consistently perform as one of the best right-handers in the sport.
Verlander also collected two Cy Youngs in his seven years with the Houston Astros, and is the active leader among pitchers in games pitched (556), wins (266), Wins Above Replacement (82.3), innings pitched (3,571.1) and strikeouts (3,554).
