Justin Verlander great in finale, then Detroit Tigers walk it off

Detroit Tigers legend Justin Verlander flashed several of the attributes that made him great in the final start of his Hall of Fame career.

It was all there on display. The fierce competitor. The unyielding determination. The ability to strike people out and rise to the occasion, not to mention simply gut out a performance.

Verlander drained everything out of his arm, setting up the Tigers for a dramatic walk-off win.

In the bottom of the ninth, rookie Eduardo Valencia crushed a two-run homer, giving the Tigers a 4-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday, Sept. 26.

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But still, Verlander was the story on this day. Making the 557th and final start of his career, Verlander struck out six in 5⅓ innings, giving up five hits and two runs

Amazingly, he threw 91 pitches in what was his first start in Comerica Park this season – and first MLB start since March 30 – in front of a sellout crowd of 41,377.

When Verlander was pulled from the game, his daughter came running onto the field and met him in a hug on the mound. They walked off, hand in hand, to a standing ovation. Verlander walked down the dugout steps with his family and they disappeared into a tunnel, as the crowd started chanting: “JV! JV! JV!”

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It was Verlander’s first start at home in a Tigers uniform since August 20, 2017, a span of nine years and 37 days. The last pitcher with a span that long between home starts was Kansas City‘s Zack Greinke, who went 11 years, 189 days between home starts at Kauffman Stadium from September 30, 2010-April 7, 2022.

The next stop for JV: Cooperstown, almost certainly.

Here are some highlights from what Verlander’s Hall of Fame plaque will read.

Verlander was a three-time American League Cy Young Award Winner, 10-time AL All-Star, 2006 AL Rookie of the Year and 2011 AL Most Valuable Player, Cy Young and pitching Triple Crown winner.

When he pitched his final game, Verlander was MLB’s active leader with 266 wins, 557 starts and 3,560 strikeouts, the eighth-most in MLB history.

The changing of the guard was everywhere you looked on this bright, sunny day at Comerica.

The top four hitters in the Tigers batting order including four straight rookies, including Max Clark and Kevin McGonigle, who weren’t even born when Verlander was drafted by the Tigers.

In the third inning, McGonigle came up with the bases loaded and one out. He was facing righty Yohan Ramirez. After an incredible 10-pitch at bat, he struck out, taking a fastball. Valencia then struck out swinging to end the threat.

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It seemed fitting that Laz Diaz, who is expected to retire at the end of this season, was the home plate umpire for this game. And in what was expected to be the last game of his MLB career, Kirby Yates got his first career start on Saturday for the Pirates.

Yates, 39, who has pitched in MLB since 2014, with 517 career relief appearances, threw 1⅔ innings, giving up two hits and recording a strikeout.

When he came out of the game, he got plenty of hugs from teammates.

Right-hander River Ryan (0-0, 0.00 ERA), one of three players acquired in August’s Tarik Skubal trade, will start for the Tigers in the season finale against the Pirates on Sunday (3:10 p.m., Detroit SportsNet). RHP Jared Jones (5-6, 3.87) will start for the Pirates. Right-hander Jack Flaherty is expected to be activated off the injured list and pitch in relief in what could be his final appearance for the Tigers before hitting free agency this offseason.

Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com. Follow him on X @seideljeff.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Justin Verlander great in finale, then Detroit Tigers walk it off