Justin Verlander wrapped up his 21st MLB season, and his Detroit Tigers career, with his 382nd start for the team on Saturday, September 26. The 43-year-old right-hander put on a show for three scoreless innings before giving up a homer in the fourth, then another solo shot in the sixth. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch pulled the legend with one out in the fifth inning, letting him soak in one final, epic ovation from the Comerica Park faithful. What a moment for a guy who’s been dealing for them since his first out against Grady Sizemore, some 7,754 days ago! The final out of his Tigers career went to Pittsburgh second baseman Brandon Lowe.
Verlander’s Place Among Tigers Legends Is Absolutely Wild
You know Verlander’s a legend, right? But seriously, his final outing for the Tigers leaves him sitting high on some truly elite all-time leaderboards. This dude finished with a mind-boggling 56.4 Wins Above Replacement, which is second in franchise history, only behind the incredible Hal Newhouser at 58.8 bWAR. We are talking about sniffing the top spot, people! He posted a 3.51 ERA, putting him just behind Virgil Trucks’ 3.50 and just ahead of his former rotation mate Max Scherzer’s 3.52. That’s some serious company to keep. What about wins? He racked up 183 victories as a Tiger, slotting him in seventh all-time, right behind Tommy Bridges’ 194. It’s almost unbelievable how consistently dominant he was for so long.
The Numbers Don’t Lie: Pure Power on the Mound
Beyond the wins and ERA, Verlander’s sheer pitching prowess really shines through. His 1.192 WHIP puts him eighth in franchise history, right there with early star Bill Donovan and even better than ex-teammate Max Scherzer’s 1.197. Think about all the batters he faced too: 10,432 hitters stepped into the box against him, placing him eighth all-time. This guy was an absolute workhorse. And strikeouts? Forget about it! Verlander’s 8.496 K/9 is fourth among Tigers pitchers, behind only Matthew Boyd, Max Scherzer, and Tarik Skubal. He’s also second all-time in total strikeouts, with only Mickey Lolich having more than his insane total. If you ask me, his legacy is ironclad, and it’s a shame if folks aren’t recognizing how close he came to literally being *the* top pitcher in Tigers history by WAR. We’re talking about an all-time great here, wrapping up an iconic run.
So, the Verlander era in Detroit is officially over. What a run it was, huh? It’s gonna be wild to see what’s next for the Tigers without him, but his place in their history is etched in stone. Cheers to a career that brought so much to the mound!
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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