The headline story of this entire series is who is taking the mound in the opener. Justin Verlander makes his first start in a Detroit Tigers uniform since August 30, 2017 — nearly nine years after his trade to the Houston Astros that marked the beginning of the club’s long rebuild. On February 10, Verlander signed a one-year, $13 million contract to return to Detroit, joining a rotation that includes Tarik Skubal, Framber Valdez, Jack Flaherty, and Casey Mize.
