Justin Verlander returns to Detroit Tigers on one-year deal

The Detroit Tigers announced on Tuesday that three-time Cy Young award winner and 2011 American League MVP Justin Verlander is returning to the team.

The 42-year-old right-hander has signed a one-year contract worth 13 million dollars guaranteed.

Verlander will also be paid a deferred sum of $11 million as part of the deal beginning in 2030.

Verlander, who celebrates his 43rd birthday on 20 February, had passed the previous season with the San Francisco Giants in his debut season in the National League.

He came back to gain ground after a poor beginning of 0-8 with an ERA of 4.99, to end 4-11 with a 3.85 ERA, 52 walks and 137 strikeouts in 152 innings in 29 appearances.

Verlander is a nine-time All-Star with a 266-158 career record, 1,004 walks, and 3,553 strikeouts in 3,567 and 1/3 innings in 555 regular-season games (representing the Tigers, 200517), Houston Astros, 2017-2024, New York Mets, 2023; and Giants, 2025).

Throughout the 13-year stay in Detroit, he went 183-114 and 3.49 ERA, acquiring AL Rookie of the Year in 2006, and winning both AL MVP and AL Cy Young in 2011.

Verlander is one of the active leaders in MLB in various categories such as wins, strikeouts and innings pitched, and games started.

His playoff history is 17-12 and a 3.58 ERA with 2 World series championships with Houston in 2017 and 2022. He and the Hall of Famer Don Newcombe are the only ones who have won Rookie of the Month, MVP, and Cy Young.

Verlander was originally drafted by Detroit with the second overall pick in the 2004 MLB Draft immediately after leaving Old Dominion University.