The Detroit Tigers delivered their fanbase the most exciting transaction in some time this week when they brought back team legend Justin Verlander on a one-year, $13 million deal.
Verlander’s return to the organization for what could be his final MLB season is not just about nostalgia though, this is a move that can legitimately help Detroit win and win right now. Nobody knows this more so than Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris.
Having built this team carefully to be a winner for years to come, Harris knows that signing Verlander is huge for the fanbase, but for the top decision maker in the organization, it goes way beyond that.
On the first day of spring training Wednesday, Harris spoke to the media about his conversations with the future Hall of Famer and how those conversations eventually led to negotiations and a contract for him to return to Detroit.
Harris Reveals How Verlander Deal Came to Be
Tigers pres Scott Harris: “I had a few FaceTimes with JV. I had never met him before, but I know what he means to this city and this organization.”
“He wants to win here. He has some unfinished business in Detroit.” pic.twitter.com/me2YW4rfLM
— 97.1 The Ticket: (@971theticketxyt) February 11, 2026
“I had a few FaceTimes with JV. I had never met him before, but I know what he means to this city and this organization,” Harris began. “We had an opportunity for him, we just wanted to engage him and help him understand what we’re trying to achieve here and how he fits. We know how he fits in the city and organization, but we wanted him to know how he fits on this team and how he can help us win, and that’s where I think we really hit it off.
“He’s all about winning, he wants to win here, he has some unfinished business in Detroit. We wanna win too and we feel like we have a really good roster and it’s better with JV on it.”
If Harris and the front office did not believe Verlander does not have something major left to offer, then he certainly would not be on this year’s roster, so clearly this is very much a win now move both for Detroit and for the legendary right-hander.
Tigers Can Benefit Immensely from Arrival of Verlander
Jack Flaherty, Casey Mize, Framber Valdez, Tarik Skubal and Justin Verlander | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Needless to say, Verlander is going to have a role within the starting rotation after his dazzling second half performance with the San Francisco Giants in 2025. Over his final 12 starts, the 42-year-old posted a 2.79 ERA with 67 strikeouts in 67.2 innings pitched.
For a Detroit staff that clearly needed a final piece especially after the Reese Olson injury news, Verlander slots right into the middle of the rotation and provides not only steadiness, but veteran mentorship as well.
Clearly, Harris and the front office coveted the full package that comes with the signing of Verlander, and chances are, he’s going to pitch in some absolutely huge moments this year for the Tigers. If fans weren’t already excited for the season, they certainly are ecstatic now.
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