LAKELAND, FL – The Detroit Tigers lost, 4-3, to the New York Yankees on Thursday, March 12, at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in spring training.
Detroit is 4-10 with four ties in Grapefruit League play.
Advertisement
What happened
Three left-handed hitters.
Three four-seam fastballs.
Three home runs.
That was the afternoon for right-hander Justin Verlander in his second start of spring training, as he allowed three solo homers: Jasson Domínguez and J.C. Escarra in the first inning and Seth Brown in the second inning. All three were hit to right-center, with the wind blowing in that direction.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander (35) throws during the first inning against the New York Yankees at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Florida, on Thursday, March 12, 2026.
JEFF SEIDEL: Detroit Tigers newest bromance features trio of infield prospects
In two starts, Verlander has allowed five runs on six hits and four walks with nine strikeouts across 5⅔ innings, registering an 8.44 ERA. The 43-year-old gave up two runs over two-plus innings in his first start, then three runs in 3⅓ innings in his second start.
Advertisement
This time, Verlander spent his start working on his mechanical tweaks that impacted his fastball location.
Verlander increased his pitch count to 61 pitches as he continues to build his workload. He appears to be the fourth starter in the Tigers’ rotation, which lines him up for March 30 against the Arizona Diamondbacks on the road as his first start of the regular season.
Before then, Verlander is scheduled for two more starts in spring training.
MUST-SEE JV: Justin Verlander working hard on control – of baseballs, and emotions
Starting off
The final line for Verlander: Three runs on four hits and two walks with five strikeouts across 3⅓ innings.
Advertisement
He threw 35 of 61 pitches for strikes.
The Yankees attacked his fastball, with home runs from Domínguez (down-and-in, 93.1 mph fastball), Escarra (middle-middle, 93.1 mph fastball) and Brown (middle-middle, 94.5 mph fastball). Of the three homers, only the swing from Domínguez produced an exit velocity of 100 mph, at 103.8 mph.
Aside from the homers, Verlander racked up a flurry of strikeouts: Ben Rice (looking, 77.8 mph curveball), Paul DeJong (swinging, 82 mph sweeper), George Lombard Jr. (swinging, 79.9 mph sweeper), Rice (swinging, 84.4 mph changeup) and DeJong (swinging, 88.2 mph slider).
Eight of his final nine pitches went for balls, resulting in back-to-back walks with one out in the fourth inning to end his outing.
Advertisement
Verlander generated 12 whiffs on 30 swings for a 40% whiff rate with two fastballs, four sliders, two curveballs, two changeups and two sweepers. His fastball averaged 93.5 mph and maxed out at 95.5 mph.
At the plate
The Tigers scored two runs in the fifth inning, then another run in the eighth inning.
Zach McKinstry hit a two-run home run, pulling a middle-in sweeper from right-hander Will Warren to deep right field with one out in the fifth inning.
On the mound
The Yankees took a 4-3 lead in the ninth inning as left-handed reliever Johan Simon, a call-up from minor-league camp, struggled.
Three stars
1. Brant Hurter, 2. McKinstry, 3. Kenley Jansen.
Advertisement
Next up
Friday (6:05 p.m.) vs. Pittsburgh Pirates in Lakeland.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Justin Verlander allows 3 homers in Detroit Tigers’ loss to Yankees