Why Tigers star Justin Verlander’s next start will still be in Triple-A despite his MLB itch

Detroit Tigers veteran right-hander Justin Verlander’s return to the organization will be delayed by at least one more outing, as he is scheduled to make a second rehab start with Triple-A Toledo on Wednesday before being cleared for a major-league return.

Verlander, who has been on the injured list since April 1 because of left hip inflammation, made his first rehab appearance for the Toledo Mud Hens last week and pitched five scoreless innings against the Iowa Cubs. He needed only 64 pitches to complete the outing, a performance that left him feeling ready to rejoin Detroit’s rotation immediately.

The 43-year-old acknowledged that he would have preferred to pitch in the Tigers’ upcoming series against the Minnesota Twins at Comerica Park. However, the organization’s front office and medical staff decided that another rehab assignment was necessary to increase his workload before activating him.

“That’s what they want,” said Verlander. “I would like to pitch, but I guess I pitched too efficiently in the 60-something pitches (in his first rehab start), which sucks. Like, I did too well. But they want some more volume, and I think that’s fair.”

Detroit’s goal is for Verlander to reach approximately 70-80 pitches and work into the sixth inning during Wednesday’s game against the St. Paul Saints, the Triple-A affiliate of the Twins. Manager AJ Hinch stressed that 64 pitches against Triple-A competition is not equivalent to the same workload in the major leagues, making additional volume an important step in the recovery process.

Verlander has not appeared for the Tigers since March 30, when he started against the Arizona Diamondbacks in what remains his only major-league outing of the 2026 season. After that game, hip inflammation kept him out for more than two months. Before beginning his rehab assignment, he threw multiple simulated games as part of his progression back to game action.

According to Verlander, he has successfully met all health-related benchmarks and was pleased with both his physical recovery and mechanical execution following the first rehab start. The remaining objective is simply building endurance for a full major-league workload.

Weather concerns also influenced the Detroit’s plans. Forecasted heavy rain in Toledo forced adjustments to several rehab schedules, pushing Verlander’s next outing to Wednesday.

If he reaches the desired pitch count without any setbacks, Verlander could be in line to rejoin the Tigers rotation during Detroit’s road series against the Houston Astros on June 15 or 16. That timeline would end a lengthy wait for the former Tigers ace, who returned to the organization on a one-year, $13 million contract after spending the 2025 season with the San Francisco Giants.

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