3-Time Cy Young Award Winner to Retire After 21 Years in MLB
Justin Verlander is calling it a career.
But fans still have at least a few more months to watch the veteran big leaguer deliver on the mound.
On Tuesday, shortly after being an All-Star for a 10th time – this time by way of being names as MLB commissioner Rob Manfred’s “Legend Pick” – Verlander announced that the 2026 season would be his last.
“I want to thank the Commissioner for the incredible honor of being selected to the All-Star Game,” Verlander said in a statement. “The opportunity to attend once again is something I’ll cherish, and it will be an incredibly special moment for me and my family.
“This season has challenged me in ways I haven’t experienced before, both physically and mentally. I’ve always believed that as long as I could compete at the level, I expect of myself, I’d keep playing. I never wanted to retire because of a milestone, a number, or a date on the calendar. I wanted the game to tell me when it was time.
“Over the last several months, I’ve realized that time has come.”
He’ll finish his MLB career as a three-time Cy Young winner, two-time World Series champ, an American League MVP award, and more than 3,500 career strikeouts. Verlander is one of the most decorated pitchers in the history of the game.
His 21st, and last season, has been a struggle thus far. The 43-year-old righty, who signed a one-year deal with the Tigers in the offseason, has made just one appearance for the club. He went three and two-thirds innings and gave up six hits, five runs and walked two batters in a 9-6 loss to Arizona in late March. Since then, he’s spent most of the season bouncing between the disabled list and rehab stints.
Verlander’s struggles have aligned with those of his team. Detroit is in fourth place in the AL Central, sitting nine games under .500. Polymarket bettors don’t give the Tigers much of a chance to turn things around. Detroit is currently trading at just 1% among bettors to capture a World Series crown in 2026.
There are 12 teams on Polymarket with a higher percentage being wagered on them to win it all. The defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers are the current betting favorite at 29%.
Verlander and model Kate Upton have been married since 2017. Retirement should give the couple more time to spend together and with their two children.
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