After Two Decades, Justin Verlander Is Ready to Walk Away. Almost.

Justin Verlander, one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history, announced on Wednesday that he plans to retire at the end of this season. The 43-year-old made the announcement on social media before holding a press conference at Comerica Park in Detroit. But Verlander was clear about one thing: his career is not over just yet. He still hopes to pitch again before he calls it quits for good.

Verlander has had a very hard 2025 season. He has only made one start, and he has spent most of the year on the injured list because of a hip problem and a left hamstring strain. Even so, he has not given up on the idea of returning to the mound for the Detroit Tigers. 'This is where it's kind of awkward,' he said. 'My focus is still to get out there and be the best version of myself that I can be for this team.'

Just before the press conference, Major League Baseball named Verlander to the All-Star Game as a 'Legend Pick.' It will be the tenth All-Star selection of his career. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred already knew about Verlander's plans to retire. They agreed to share the news early so that Verlander would not be asked about his future during All-Star week.

Verlander's career numbers are remarkable. He has 266 wins, a 3.33 ERA, and 3,554 career strikeouts, which ranks eighth all-time in baseball history. He is also the oldest player in all of major North American professional sports right now. This past offseason, he signed a one-year, $13 million deal to return to the Tigers, the team that first drafted him back in 2005.

The road back to Detroit has been full of disappointment. Verlander was set to pitch at Comerica Park in April, but he was taken out of the lineup on the day of the game and put on the injured list. What was supposed to be a short recovery turned into months of setbacks. 'I feel like I pulled the rug out twice, and it really gutted me,' Verlander said. 'I hated doing that.'

His family has also played a big role in his thinking. His wife, Kate Upton, and their two young children — a 7-year-old daughter and a 1-year-old son — spent much of June in Detroit. They were all on the field together on Father's Day. 'Spending more time with them kind of made me see the other side of things,' Verlander said.

Verlander debuted in the major leagues in 2005 and spent his first 13 seasons with Detroit. A trade in 2017 sent him to the Houston Astros, where he won two World Series championships and two more Cy Young Awards. He later played for the New York Mets and the San Francisco Giants. Now, 21 years after his first MLB game, he is back in Detroit hoping to close out his career where it all began.

Even though he knows retirement is close, Verlander is not ready to look back just yet. He is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Thursday, which could be a key step toward returning to big-league action. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said Verlander feels good and is excited to be tested again. 'A good first step is a productive bullpen tomorrow,' Hinch said.

Verlander said he has let go of his goals of reaching 300 career wins and 4,000 career strikeouts. Those milestones would take too much time, he said, time he no longer has. Still, he made it clear he is not the kind of person who sits on the bench and watches. 'That's not who I am,' he said. 'That's not how I got to where I am.'

When the day finally comes that Verlander pitches his last game, it will be the end of one of baseball's greatest careers. But for now, he is focused on one more chance to take the mound. 'I've always said I want to play until the wheels are falling off,' Verlander said, pointing to his injured leg. 'It seems it is. But it's not done yet, and neither am I.'