Justin Verlander leaves final Tigers start holding his daughter's hand

Justin Verlander's final major league start ended with his seven-year-old daughter, Genevieve, joining him on the mound at Comerica Park on Saturday, September 26. The Detroit Tigers pitcher cried as they embraced, then walked off holding her hand to a standing ovation. The farewell closed a 21-season career that included three Cy Young Awards, according to the Associated Press.

Verlander, 43, had said before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates that this would be his last career start. After injuries kept him out for most of his final season, he wanted to pitch competitively in front of Detroit's fans, MLB.com reported. He went considerably further than a ceremonial appearance, recording an out in the sixth inning before manager A.J. Hinch came to the mound.

A surprise on the mound

Pittsburgh's Brandon Lowe hit a foul popup to open the sixth. Hinch came out of the dugout and gestured toward the stands. Genevieve, wearing a Tigers jersey bearing her father's name and number, ran to the mound and hugged him. Verlander began sobbing, the Associated Press reported. Hinch joined the embrace before Tigers teammates gathered around the pitcher.

Verlander left the field with Genevieve as the crowd applauded. His wife, Kate Upton, and their young son, Bellamy, joined them for a family hug near the Tigers dugout. Verlander also greeted teammates and tipped his cap to the crowd before going down the dugout steps with his family, according to the Associated Press. The pause lasted about five and a half minutes before reliever Tyler Kinley threw his first pitch.

A return shaped by injuries

Verlander had rejoined Detroit for his final season after pitching for the Tigers from 2005 to 2017, the Associated Press reported. MLB.com said a left hip problem had sidelined him since late March and that a later left hamstring strain complicated his return. In an interview before Saturday's start, Verlander said he had not expected this to be his final season, but gradually accepted that it would be as he struggled to get back on the field.

The Tigers pitcher told MLB.com he had pushed to make one more start for himself and for the fans who continued to support him while he was unable to pitch. He said he wanted to balance taking in the occasion with competing. His aim, he told MLB.com, was to pitch more than one inning and try to help Detroit win the game.

Hinch told MLB.com before the game that Verlander had made clear he did not want a one-inning sendoff. The manager said the pitcher would try to make the outing as close to a normal start as he could. Saturday's 5⅓ innings gave Verlander a substantial final appearance despite the limited time he had had to build up for a start.

Twenty-one seasons in the majors

Detroit selected Verlander with the second overall pick in the 2004 MLB draft. He made his major league debut for the Tigers on July 4, 2005, and remained with the club until a 2017 trade to the Houston Astros. He won two World Series with Houston and later had spells with the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants before returning to Detroit, according to the Associated Press.

Across 21 major league seasons, Verlander became a 10-time All-Star and won three Cy Young Awards. The Associated Press reported that he finished with 3,560 strikeouts, eighth on the career list, and a 3.33 earned run average. The agency gave his win-loss record entering Saturday's game as 266-159; that figure does not account for the final result.

The farewell followed a buildup in Detroit. According to the Associated Press, Verlander received an ovation when he went to warm up and another when he returned to the dugout before the first pitch. His final start, anticipated in MLB.com's account of his preparations, ended with the Tigers' victory and a family moment at the mound.

Detroit's farewell also followed the planned final start covered in our earlier report on Verlander's return to the mound. At the time, MLB.com quoted him describing the chance to pitch again for Tigers fans as a major reason to keep working toward Saturday's appearance.