It was an emotional weekend to be a Tigers fan. First, the team ended their season in September instead of making a repeat trip to the postseason, which was certainly a bummer after the year got off to a strong start. But 2026 was not meant to be the Year of the Tiger. This weekend also saw the return of Justin Verlander to the mound at Comerica Park, just in time to make his final MLB start ever. Verlander, who had announced earlier in the year he would retire at the end of the season, missed most of the year due to injuries. It was poetic to see him back in action just in time to take his final bow.
Friday saw a tear-jerker of a retirement ceremony before the game, including a charming first pitch from Verlander’s daughter Genevieve. Then Saturday he took the mound one last time, had a strong final outing, before AJ Hinch brought Genevieve in once more to go get the ball from her father. It was one of those baseball moments that proves how wrong Tom Hanks was in A League of Their Own when he insisted, “There’s no crying in baseball!”
There is, Tom, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house on Saturday.
There was a lot going on this weekend, so we’ve collected some of the social highlights in case you missed anything.
Speaking of caps, Verlander was presented with a wooden replica of his on-field cap as part of his retirement gift from the Tigers.
The artist shared how he created the replica, and it’s honestly incredible to watch.
Verlander spoke to the press after his final outing.
Before Verlanders final start, the team made custom tees with iconic images from JV’s Instagram profile and had the rest of his teammates wear them.
JV’s long-time catcher Alex Avila took to the internet to remember their time together.
And of course, Verlander’s brother Ben shared his feelings.
Some faces we know and love got together to wish Verlander the best.
And if you missed it, here is the entire retirement ceremony from before last Friday’s game.
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