Detroit Tigers Legend Agree to Deal With San Francisco Giants, Ends Reunion Rumors
The Detroit Tigers will not be welcoming one of the best players in franchise history back to the team this offseason after speculation that there could be a potential reunion.
As first reported by ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan, former Tigers, Houston Astros, and New York Mets right-handed pitcher, Justin Verlander, has agreed to terms on a one-year, $15 million deal with the San Francisco Giants pending a physical.
Verlander spent 12.5 seasons of his career with Detroit and is considered to be arguably the best pitcher of this generation in the MLB.
The Tigers traded Verlander to the Astros at the deadline in 2017 in exchange for three prospects, one of them being current Detroit catcher Jake Rogers.
At the time of the trade, Verlander's numbers were still very strong, but he was far from the dominant force he had been in the early 2010s. As soon as he arrived to Houston, he suddenly found another gear and the rest is history. Down the stretch of the 2017 season, Verlander made five regular starts and went 5-0 with a 1.06 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 34 innings, helping the Astros win their first ever World Series with an ALCS MVP award.
During his Tigers tenure, he had a 183-114 record with a 3.49 ERA with 2,373 strikeouts over 380 appearances, leading Detroit to the postseason four years in a row which included three ALCS appearances and a trip to the World Series.
Verlander was seen as a possibility to sign a one-year contract with the Tigers and finish his career where it all began. It made a lot of sense entering the offseason since Detroit was looking to add starting pitching and the three-time Cy Young winner likely wasn't getting anything longer than that type of deal.
But nothing truly emerged other than rumors, and Verlander winds up pitching on the West Coast instead for the first time in his career.
Undoubtedly a future lock for the Baseball Hall of Fame, Verlander's decorated career is one of the best a pitcher has ever had.
He is a two-time World Series champion, three-time Cy Young winner, including an American League MVP award for his Triple Crown season in 2011, a nine-time All-Star, a Rookie of the Year winner, and even pitched three no-hitters in his career.
Tigers fans would have loved to see Verlander come back to the Motor City and finish his career here, but it's safe to say they will be rooting for him regardless.
