LAKELAND, Fla. — Justin Verlander and Kenley Jansen have never been teammates before, but they share the familiarity that comes from spending a combined 35 years in Major League Baseball.
Verlander, a future Hall-of-Fame starter, and Jansen, a four-time All-Star closer, are free-agent acquisitions who greeted each other like old friends in the Tigers’ clubhouse on Wednesday.
“How old are you?” asked Verlander, who turns 43 next month.
When Jansen replied, “38,” Verlander shot back, “You’ve got five more years!”
Verlander’s first day back in a Tigers uniform since he was traded in 2017 was the major storyline of the day, but there was another prominent newcomer on the practice field for the start of spring training.
Framber Valdez was recently signed to a three-year, $115 million deal to bolster the Tigers’ already impressive rotation. He held a formal press conference with his family in attendance after the morning workout.
Verlander greeted some reporters on Wednesday but postponed his official press conference until Thursday to allow Valdez to have the spotlight.
Over the last four seasons, Valdez has been one of baseball’s most reliable workhorse pitchers, averaging more than 30 starts per season.
“We’re bringing him into our clubhouse with open arms and expecting him to do his part to help us win,” said Tigers manager A.J. Hinch, who managed Valdez during his younger years in Houston. “Not only does he impact the day that he pitches, he also impacts the day before and the day after. And so, it’s quality, too. I think it’s one thing to stay healthy and have endurance and pitch deep into games, another one to be good at it. And I think he solidifies what starting pitching is all about. In an era where innings are dwindling for starting pitchers, he’s certainly the opposite.”
Here’s more from Hinch’s Day 1 meeting with the press, including his thoughts on Verlander, the Tigers’ rookies and other early spring topics:
Q: What was your conversation like with Justin and what does his arrival mean?
Hinch: That’s a big addition in a lot of ways. My focus with him was entirely on what he can do to help us win on the mound, and obviously, he and I have history. He has a deeper history here with Detroit. And when he gets in front of you guys tomorrow, he will share his emotions and his feelings. But from a pure influence standpoint, my conversations with him were: “Here’s this organization as it is today. Here’s how you can help us win. You’re joining a team that has learned how to win, and we need a little bump to take a step forward.
Q: Did you ever envision the possibility of getting to manage him again?
Hinch: I think that’s for him to talk about. I always want to manage the best players in the game. That’s fun for me. The experiences you share in this game never go away, and I’ve seen him at his peak, and now I’ve seen him become a father and become an older veteran who’s still putting in the work to be really good. So I think you always hope you reconnect with the guys that you enjoy.
Q: You guys have put so much emphasis on culture with that young group. How does adding Justin Verlander change things?
Hinch: It’s just the wisdom that comes with what he’s done, and what he’s done forever, too. When you look at this offseason and the additions that were made, that’s a ton of experience added to an already experienced team. We may not be long in years, but back-to-back playoff runs have been a maturation for this team. So you walk in the room with quite a few credentials around to build on that.
Q: You mentioned learning to win with this group. Is that what made this the right time to bring Verlander in, because you’ve already learned to win?
Hinch: It’s always the right time to try to win. I’m the manager, so I want as much winning as possible. But I really appreciate the commitment to put our best team forward. And that included some really huge additions at the end of the winter.
Q: How extraordinary is it to see Verlander at 43 doing this?
Hinch: He puts in the work, and he’s definitely unique. I think one of the biggest attributes is how curious he is about how to get better. That is a common conversation I’ve had with him over the last 10 years. He’s not afraid to evolve. I think you need a little bit of that. I think you also need a commitment to get through the difficulties that come with playing at this level at that age. But along with others, I saw what August and September brought last year, and it didn’t look like an age number was attached to his performance at all.
Tigers pitchers Justin Verlander (left) and Tarik Skubal chat during practice on Feb. 11, 2026, in Lakeland, Fla. (photo by Evan Woodbery, MLive.com)Evan Woodbery, MLive.com
Q: What are you looking for from youngsters like Kevin McGonigle and Max Clark?
Hinch: I think getting them into camp and letting them play will be a good foundation. The guys that we are bringing across the board, we want the best version of them. So where it ends, I have no idea. Where it begins will be Feb. 21 against the Yankees. I’m sure both kids will play. But day by day, getting these guys accustomed to a brand new clubhouse they’ve never been in, with teammates who have pretty long résumés, I think that’s the first step.
Q: Can a kid play his way onto this team?
Hinch: I always think guys can make huge impressions and change conversations. I just had a couple of meetings with some pitchers as our starting rotation has formed. The big question of what that means for a variety of guys who came in thinking they were going to compete for a job changes. But what doesn’t change is their preparation. So anything can happen, and we don’t have to draw any conclusions for or against the thought that guys can play their way onto this team, whether they’re a prospect or a non-roster invite. We haven’t even played a game yet.
Q: Are Drew Anderson and Keider Montero still going to be stretched out to start?
Hinch: Yeah, Troy Melton too. Those guys will start games down here. We’ve got to continue to build because anything’s possible. I met with those guys today, and we’ll make sure to build their pitch count and their routines, and then audible when we need to.
The scene at the TigerTown complex in Lakeland, Fla., on the first day of spring training on Feb. 11, 2026. (photo by Evan Woodbery, MLive.com)Evan Woodbery, MLive.com
Q: Do you think there’s room for a breakout spring from a young player?
Hinch: I think anything can happen. This time last year, when I stood in the exact same area, Dillon Dingler had not emerged. Wenceel Pérez had not featured his right-handed swing the way he did last year. Spencer Torkelson was a question on whether or not he was going to factor in aggressively. Colt Keith didn’t know what position he was going to play. There’s just a lot that changes over time. So I try to stay grounded. Day one is day one, and we’re going to keep pushing forward. And we used, I think, 36 pitchers last year, not counting position players. I would love that not to be the case this year because we went through some health issues. But a six-, seven-, eight-month season brings a lot.
Q: Have you teased Skubal about the fact he’s a very rich man now?
Hinch: I will (do so) here in this first team meeting. He said Framber’s got to buy dinner. I’ll settle for whatever Tarik can afford.