"Huge breaking news in Detroit on Tuesday: The Tigers came to a deal with a multi-time Cy Young winner universally beloved by fans. No, not Tarik Skubal, who's still due to become a free agent after this season. Nearly a decade since he was traded to the Astros, Justin Verlander will join the starting rotation as a 43-year-old on a one-year, $13 million contract."
"The more romantic way would be to tell you that Verlander starts were a weekly event that brought drama and stakes to long summer nights in Michigan. Verlander achieved two of his three career no-hitters as a Tiger, but just as important communally were the almost no-hitters, where he'd have a shutdown start going and word would travel around the state, every fan making sure she wasn't too far away from a TV or radio, just in case."
Justin Verlander, now 43, signed a one-year, $13 million contract to rejoin the Detroit Tigers' starting rotation. He was traded to the Astros nearly a decade earlier. Verlander won Rookie of the Year in 2006 as the Tigers returned to the playoffs and recorded the team's first winning season since 1993. He established himself as a hard-throwing, ultra-competitive ace, peaking in 2011 with an MVP-winning 24-5 season leading the AL in ERA, innings, strikeouts, and WHIP. His starts became communal events, producing two no-hitters as a Tiger and numerous near no-hitters that galvanized fans. The Tigers later traded him for prospects in a season they finished 64-98, contributing to a roster decline. Verlander starred for the Astros, winning the World Series in 2017, dominating in 2018 and 2019, undergoing Tommy John surgery, and winning another Cy Young at age 39 in 2022.
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