Justin Verlander's illustrious career came to an end in 2026, and he had his swan song with the team he started his big-league journey with, the Detroit Tigers. He also reunited with manager AJ Hinch, whom he spent three seasons with (2017 to 2019) on the Houston Astros, winning a World Series (albeit a controversial one) during their time together in the Lone Star State.

But not even a player of Verlander's stature is above the managerial authority of Hinch. The current Tigers manager recalled a time where he had to make the future Hall of Fame starting pitcher redo a drill in Spring Training, which speaks volumes to the moxie he possesses.

“I remember the first time I ever had Justin Verlander on the mound in a PFP (pitcher's fielding practice) in Spring Training, and that rep that gets messed up between pitcher and first baseman. And I've got to reset them. And I've got to send Verlander back to the mound. I'm in my late 30s, early 40s as a manager, and I've got this future Hall of Famer and he screwed up a play and I got to make him do it again,” Hinch recalled in an appearance on the “Dirt From the Dugout” podcast.

“That was learned in Midwest City, Oklahoma as a 16-year-old kid throwing the ball away in infield practice and my dad and my head coach making me reset and do it again until I did it right. That's something I think that everybody can learn from. It’s not a punishment. It’s a standard.”

A.J. Hinch once had to send Justin Verlander back to the mound to redo a botched spring training rep. Where’d he learn that?

His dad, when he was 16. “It’s not a punishment. It’s a standard.” ⚾ pic.twitter.com/lN6OISJgzN

— Dirt From the Dugout (@dirtfromthedug) November 5, 2026

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Verlander did not get to where he was at his best by ignoring the instructions of his coaches, and it's a testament as well to his teachability that he listened even when he could have been a prima donna.

The Tigers believe that Hinch is the man for the job given the way he handles the clubhouse, as evidenced by the way he got Verlander to listen, and it will be interesting to see if it pays off in the future in the form of postseason success.