Justin Verlander didn’t love his first live batting practice session—and he didn’t hide it. But for a 43-year-old ace clawing his way back from injury, any hurdle cleared is a win. And on Saturday, the Detroit Tigers starter got exactly that.
Facing hitters for the first time since going on the injured list, Verlander threw two simulated innings against Hao-Yu Lee and Wenceel Perez. The results? Thirty-eight pitches, 24 strikes, and four whiffs. No walks. No strikeouts. But plenty of progress.
“Pretty good,” Verlander said afterward. “Not as sharp as I would like to be, but physically, it was another step in the right direction. Check the box today and keep moving forward.”
The future Hall of Famer has been sidelined since April 1 with left hip inflammation—an injury he initially thought he could pitch through. That optimism has given way to a seven- to eight-week grind that’s tested even his legendary patience.
“It’s still a work in progress,” he admitted. “It’s not where I want it, but it’s better than what it was. As long as I can keep building up and be OK physically, you get to a point where it’s time to go.”
During the eight plate appearances, Lee worked a seven-pitch at-bat and drove a ball to the left-center gap, while Perez roped one into the right-field corner. Both hitters came away impressed.
“I thought he was throwing his pitches pretty good,” Perez said. “He was trying to locate. The good thing—he looked healthy. His fastball was getting in on me a little bit. I think this was good for him.”
For Verlander, the road back requires balancing two goals: building arm volume and sharpening his command. Tigers manager AJ Hinch noted that Verlander actually looked better in his second inning than his first—a promising sign for a pitcher still regaining his rhythm.
“We have to walk that fine line of pushing him volume-wise and push him to build his endurance,” Hinch said. “But the quality has to come with it.”
Next up: another simulated game, likely Thursday in Queens. After that, Verlander will almost certainly need at least one minor league rehab start before rejoining the Tigers rotation. For now, though, the process win is enough.