With Detroit Tigers star Justin Verlander wanting to pitch before he retires, as it's been an injury-riddled season, the latest from manager A.J. Hinch provides insight into the plan put in place. The latest update on Verlander's pitching quest with the Tigers has Hinch getting real on the prospects of his play before retirement.
Verlander has been on the 60-day injured list (IL) as he's recovering from a hamstring strain, but there's no denying how frustrating the season has been, only logging his lone start on March 30.
Having recently thrown off the mound on Saturday, when he hit 93 miles per hour on a pitch, Hinch spoke about getting him ready to pitch on the final weekend, according to Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic.
âÂÂJV [Verlander] is scheduled on a seven-day plan. Yesterday he didn't have the hitters' swing, but he got some feedback from them,â Hinch said. âÂÂHe did throw as hard as he's thrown, really, in the last month-plus. That was a good sign. I got to check with him to see how he felt today. He'll get a couple bullpen sessions. There will be something in Chicago, pregame, a live BP or sim game of some sort to try to push that intensity and volume even more, which would then put him on track for another seven days after that.âÂÂ
Article Continues BelowMore on the plan with Tigers' Justin VerlanderÃÂ
As Hinch would continue to talk about Verlander's hopeful return before he retires, he admitted how the Tigers are âÂÂaiming for that last weekendâ and how it will be an âÂÂemotionalâ and âÂÂimportantâ one for the 43-year-old.
âÂÂHe's got a lot of mound sessions between now and then; he's got some questions to answer,â Hinch said. âÂÂI'm cautious to throw it out there too firm because a lot of things can happen between now and thenâ¦We can't have a setback of any sort. I don't want to make a false promise.âÂÂ
It remains to be seen when Verlander makes his final appearance before retirement, as the final weekend in question would start on Friday. Sept. 25 against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

