Justin Verlander’s Return Derailed by Hamstring Injury That’ll Cost Him Weeks

Justin Verlander was supposed to be back on the mound Sunday against the White Sox. That’s not happening anymore.

The 43-year-old Tigers veteran was scratched from his scheduled start after what the team initially called a minor issue turned into something worse. Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reported the diagnosis: a left hamstring strain. And according to Tigers manager AJ Hinch, this isn’t a quick fix.

“This is not a matter of days. It’s a matter of weeks,” Hinch told reporters, including MLB.com’s Jason Beck.

So instead of making his long-awaited return from a shoulder issue that had already kept him out, Verlander is now staring down more time on the shelf. The hamstring injury is separate from the shoulder rehab, which is frustrating in its own right.

Another setback for a future Hall of Famer

Verlander has pushed hard to get back on the field after signing with Detroit in the offseason. He looked sharp in a rehab start for Triple-A Toledo last week, throwing 58 pitches over 3.1 innings with four strikeouts. But that push may have come at a cost.

The hamstring strain happened during a workout, according to team sources, and it’s not the kind of thing a 43-year-old pitcher can just play through. Hamstring injuries for pitchers can be tricky — they affect drive off the rubber, balance in the delivery, and the ability to field a bunt or cover first base.

Hinch didn’t give a specific timeline beyond “weeks,” which typically means at least three to four weeks for a pitcher to rehab a Grade 1 or 2 strain. That puts Verlander’s return somewhere in late May or early June, assuming nothing else goes wrong.

What this means for the Tigers

Detroit’s rotation was already thin. With Verlander out, the Tigers will lean on Tarik Skubal, Jack Flaherty and a mix of younger arms like Reese Olson and Casey Mize. The bullpen will have to carry more weight, too.

The bigger question is whether Verlander’s body can hold up for a full season at this stage of his career. He’s 43. He’s thrown over 3,400 innings. And he’s now dealing with two separate injuries before May even hits. The Tigers signed him hoping for 25-plus starts and veteran stability. Right now they’d probably settle for 15.

Verlander is still under contract through 2025, but the Tigers have to be wondering how much they’ll actually get out of that deal. And Verlander has to be wondering the same thing.

More updates as they come.