Justin Verlander Hit Hard in Simulated Game During Tigers Rehab Session

Lee later added another hard-hit ground ball up the middle that could have been a single in game action.

The positive?

Verlander did not issue any walks.

Tigers Still Taking Cautious Approach

Even with the live session completed, Verlander is not yet ready for a rehab assignment.

The Tigers are expected to send him to Triple-A Toledo for at least one rehab start before considering activating him to the major league roster, but Saturday’s outing showed there is still work to do.

Detroit desperately needs healthy arms right now.

The Tigers are already without Tarik Skubal, Casey Mize, and several others, while Framber Valdez is serving a suspension. That has placed even more attention on Verlander’s recovery timeline.

Still, the organization appears focused more on long-term progress than immediate results.

Verlander Focused on Physical Progress

For Verlander, simply returning to a competitive environment represented meaningful progress.

Saturday marked the first time he had faced hitters since March 30, which was also his only official start of the 2026 season before the hip injury shut him down.

After signing a one-year, $13 million contract to return to Detroit earlier this year, Verlander’s comeback season has barely gotten started.

Now, the future Hall of Famer is simply trying to build momentum one step at a time.

Tigers Hoping Veteran Can Stabilize Rotation

The Tigers entered the season believing Verlander could provide leadership and valuable innings behind Tarik Skubal and Framber Valdez.

Instead, injuries have forced Detroit into survival mode.

That reality makes every Verlander update feel important, even if Saturday’s simulated game was a mixed bag overall.

The velocity and sharpness may not fully be there yet.

But at least Verlander is finally back competing again.