Justin Verlander dropped a bombshell back on July 8, announcing his impending retirement and making it sound like he was ready to help his squad down the stretch. But here we are, weeks later, and what have we seen? Not much from the veteran, unless you count him suiting up for the All-Star Game just to watch from the sidelines. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch just confirmed what everyone was probably fearing: Verlander’s rehab from that hamstring strain has been “really slow.” Yeah, you read that right. *Really slow.*
The Wheels Are Falling Off for Verlander?
This whole situation is a gut punch. Verlander inked a one-year deal for 2026, hoping to be a major player for the team that drafted him second overall back in 2004. But his 2026 season has been a total disaster. He’s made a single MLB appearance, giving up five earned runs in 3⅔ innings during a March 30 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Five days later, he was on the injured list with hip inflammation, and it’s been a downhill battle ever since. We’re talking setbacks in bullpen sessions and three minor league rehab starts, with the last one for Triple-A Toledo on June 10.
It gets worse, folks. Just a few days after that last setback, he was lamenting his health, then a couple weeks later came the retirement announcement. Remember what he said on June 19 after getting scratched from a planned start? “I’ve always said that I want to play until the wheels fall off. Maybe they are falling off. I hope not.” That quote alone should tell you everything. Hinch says the team is “very committed” to getting him right, and Verlander is “doubly working to get himself healthy.” But there’s no firm timetable for his return, and you gotta wonder if that one Diamondbacks game was the last time we’ll see him on an MLB mound.
Casey Mize Looks Ready, Thank Goodness
Thank goodness there’s some good news on the pitching front, even if it’s not the Verlander comeback we all wanted. Tigers starter Casey Mize is set to take the mound against the Kansas City Royals on Saturday, dodging a trip to the injured list after taking a nasty comebacker to the wrist during his July 19 start against the Los Angeles Angels. That’s a huge relief, right?
Hinch is understandably being “aware, more than careful” with Mize, but he sounds pretty confident. He said they “checked every box” to get him ready, and Mize himself confirmed on Thursday, “I’m on track, looking forward to Saturday. Checking all the boxes that we need to.” Mize even completed a bullpen session on Wednesday, signaling his readiness. Hinch isn’t expecting any issues as long as “nothing sounds the alarm bell” during the game. So, while we’re all holding our breath for Verlander, let’s keep an eye on Mize’s start against the Royals. We need him healthy, that’s for sure.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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