A man who made a major impact on multiple MLB franchises has announced that this season will be his last. Justin Verlander will retire after the Detroit Tigers end the campaign.
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The two-time World Series champion and former MVP issued a statement on Wednesday announcing the news. This followed MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred naming Verlander to his 10th All-Star Game as a Legend Pick, a move made to recognize the pitcher's greatness over multiple decades.
"This season has challenged me in ways I haven't experienced before, both physically and mentally," Verlander wrote on social media. "I've always believed that as long as I could compete at the level I expect of myself, I'd keep playing.
"I never wanted to retire because of a milestone, a number, or a date on the calendar. 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. 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."
— Justin Verlander (@JustinVerlander) July 8, 2026
This trip to the All-Star Game on Tuesday will mark the first time since 2013 that Verlander has done so in a Tigers uniform.
He made six All-Star appearances with the Tigers after being selected second overall in the 2004 MLB Amateur Draft (2007, 2009-13). He added three more with the Astros (2018-19, 2022).
Verlander, who won two World Series titles with the Astros, accomplished a significant amount over his career despite dealing with injuries that robbed him of the 2021 season and kept him on the Injured List this season.
He ranks eighth in MLB history with 3,554 strikeouts, and he is only one of six pitchers in history with three no-hitters on his resume. He also joins Don Newcombe as the only players to win Rookie of the Year, the Cy Young Award and MVP. Verlander also won at least 20 games in a season twice in his career.
