Astros pitcher Justin Verlander open to reunion with Tigers

Justin Verlander is open to a reunion with the Detroit Tigers, the team that drafted him in 2004. 

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't think about it," Verlander said, according to the Detroit Free Press' Evan Petzold. "Yeah, of course. I loved playing there. I love the city. I love the fans. Yes, I do think about it. Ultimately, the decision comes down to what's best for my career. If that aligns with that possibility, then maybe it does."

The 38-year-old is not expected to pitch this season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He will be a free agent this winter and isn't sure how things will go.

"I need to get my elbow healthy first," Verlander said. "And then I don't even know what the next steps are. I'm a free agent, and I have no plan. For the first time, I'm entering free agency. We'll just see what happens."

Verlander had a stellar 13-year run with the Tigers, going 183-114 with a 3.49 ERA and 1.19 WHIP over 2,511 innings. He also won the 2006 AL Rookie of the Year and was named the AL Cy Young winner for the first time in his career in 2011. 

After Houston acquired Verlander in 2017, he helped the Astros win the World Series. In four seasons with Houston, the Virginia native is 43-15 with a 2.45 ERA and 0.834 WHIP over 477 innings.

If he returns to Detroit to finish off his career, Verlander will guide a young rotation that includes Casey Mize, Tarik Skubal and Matt Manning, among others.