It's been building for a while, but it still hits different once it's official. Justin Verlander, the 43-year-old righty who's been ripping off Hall of Fame numbers since the mid-2000s, announced he'll retire at the end of the 2026 season. Jeff Passan didn't waste words getting to the point.
Future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander will retire at the end of the 2026 season.
The timing is brutal in the best way. Verlander hasn't pitched since the end of March because of hip and hamstring injuries that have kept him on the shelf all year, and he's only made one appearance in 2026 after coming back to Detroit following a one-year stop with the Giants. So instead of grinding out a farewell tour on the mound, MLB found another way to make sure Philadelphia gets to see him this month.
MLB announces that Justin Verlander has been named to the AL All-Star roster as a “Legend Pick.” The 43-year-old, who has been on the Injured List since early April, will not be active at the All-Star Game, but will attend and be honored during the festivities in Philadelphia.
That "Legend Pick" designation is Commissioner Rob Manfred's way of making sure a guy this good doesn't just quietly disappear off the injured list. It's rare company — Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera got it in 2022, Clayton Kershaw got it in 2025 — and this year Verlander is sharing the honor with Bryce Harper, who's repping the host Phillies. Verlander won't throw a pitch in Philadelphia, but he'll be in the building getting the send-off a 10-time All-Star, three-time Cy Young winner and two-time World Series champ has earned.
Verlander joins National League 1B Bryce Harper of the host Phillies as “Legend Picks” for the 2026 ASG. Previous “Legend Picks” made by Commissioner Manfred have been Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera in 2022, and Clayton Kershaw in 2025.
Zoom out and this is one of the last true aces from an era that's basically extinct. Verlander debuted with Detroit back in 2005, has 266 career wins and over 3,500 strikeouts, survived Tommy John surgery that wiped out his entire 2021 season, and still found a way to keep pitching effectively into his 40s — including a respectable run with San Francisco last year before circling back to the Tigers for one last go. Guys who can do all of that basically don't get made anymore.
There's no dramatic final start circled on the calendar yet, since the injury situation makes it unclear how much more he'll actually pitch in 2026. But the League clearly wasn't going to let a resume like his end with a whimper on the IL. Philadelphia gets the ceremony, Cooperstown gets the paperwork in about five years, and baseball loses one of the last guys who made the sport must-watch every fifth day.