‘Time has come': Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander will retire after 2026 season

Verlander won three Cy Young Awards and two World Series rings over 21 seasons.

One of the greatest pitchers of this generation is calling it a career.

Justin Verlander announced Wednesday that he will retire following the 2026 MLB season.

The Detroit Tigers pitcher shared a statement on social media explaining his decision.

"This season has challenged me in ways I haven’t experienced before, both physically and mentally," Verlander said. "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. While I’m fully committed to giving my team everything I have for the rest of this season, I’ve decided this will be my last. It’s fitting that I get to finish where it all started – with the Detroit Tigers, the organization that drafted me and gave me my first opportunity."

Verlander, 43, is in the midst of his 21st big league season after rejoining the Tigers over the offseason. It's been an injury-riddled campaign so far, as Verlander made just one appearance on March 30 before hip and hamstring injuries. He remains on the 60-day IL, but Commissioner Rob Manfred has added Verlander to the AL All-Star roster as a "Legend Pick."

Verlander started his career in Detroit in 2005 and played with the club until 2017, when he was traded to the Houston Astros. During his first run with the Tigers, he won Rookie of the Year (2006), Cy Young (2011) and MVP (2011) while leading MLB in strikeouts four times.

After the trade to Houston, Verlander continued his success and helped launch a perennial contender. The Astros won the World Series in 2017 after acquiring him mid-season, then added another title in 2022. Verlander was named ALCS MVP in 2017.

Verlander signed with the New York Mets for the 2023 season, but was traded back to the Astros that summer. He stayed in Houston for 2024 before signing one-year deals with the San Francisco Giants (2025) and Tigers (2026).

Over his 21 seasons, Verlander threw three no-hitters, won the pitching triple crown once, the ERA title twice and made 10 All-Star teams (including 2026). His career numbers include 3,554 strikeouts, a 3.33 ERA and a 266-159 record over 556 games (all starts).