Tarik Skubal Jokes About Being “Disappointed” by Justin Verlander Following His Retirement Decision

Justin Verlander has a 266-159 record with 3,554 strikeouts and 3.33 ERA in his 21 seasons in MLB.

Tarik Skubal Jokes About Being “Disappointed” by Justin Verlander Following His Retirement Decision

Tarik Skubal and Justin Verlander (Image via MLB/Bleacher Report)

On Wednesday, Justin Verlander announced his decision to retire at the end of the season. The Detroit Tigers star took to his social media accounts to reveal this decision. His teammate Tarik Skubal later joked with him and expressed that he was “disappointed.”

Verlander returned to the Tigers on a 1-year, $13 million deal this season. The 43-year-old had a strong finish to last season with the San Francisco Giants. Given his age, the move back to Detroit was seen as a full circle moment for him.

At the start of the season, Verlander was expected to fit in a rotation that contained Skubal and All-Star Casey Mize. However, he is yet to pitch at Comerica Park in a Tigers uniform again, as he went on the injured list following hip inflammation on April 1 while the team was on the road after his start against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The 3-time Cy Young Award winner was expected to return last month. He then suffered a left hamstring strain, which left him on the sidelines once again. The right-handed pitcher had previously expressed his desire to pitch well into his 40’s.

Father Time seems to have caught up with him. On Wednesday, after being announced as a Legend Pick for the upcoming All-Star Game, Verlander announced his decision to retire at the end of the season.

This season has challenged me in ways I haven’t experienced before, both physically and mentally. … Over the last few months, I’ve realized that time has come. While I’m fully committed to giving my team everything I have for the rest of the season, I’ve decided this will be my last.

Justin Verlander said

Fans on social media came in his support and applauded his career following this decision. Tarik Skubal, however, was left disappointed with this decision.

The reigning Cy Young winner was not disappointed because he was retiring. He was upset with his teammate as he learned it second-hand.

While speaking with the reporters, Verlander expressed that he did not tell Skubal about this as he was starting the game.

He found out second-hand and was mad at me.

Justin Verlander said

Verlander then looked at Skubal, who was sitting at the back of the room, and asked whether he was still mad at him. The 29-year-old claimed he was “disappointed.”

Skubal has developed a good bond with Verlander since the veteran’s return to the Tigers. They are reported to be often found playing chess in the clubhouse.

You can kind of see him start to lock in on that stuff. it has been fun to see that. He has been great for everybody in the clubhouse, including me.

Tarik Skubal said regarding Justin Verlander as per Detroit Free Press

Currently, Verlander is the oldest player in the Major League. He is also the oldest in all of North American major sports. This year will mark the end of his MLB career after 21 seasons.

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Justin Verlander will be an All-Star in his final season

Justin Verlander will bow out of MLB at the end of this season. In his final campaign, he will be an All-Star once again, thanks to the Legend Pick by MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred.

Justin Verlander with the Astros
Justin Verlander (Image via MLB)

A few days ago, Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper was named as an All-Star through the Legend Pick. This saw the 2-time National League MVP earn his 9th All-Star nod.

For the American League, Verlander was named as the Legend Pick. This will be his 10th All-Star Game selection and his first in a Tigers uniform since 2013.

I want to thank the Commissioner for the incredible honor of being selected to the All-Star Game. The opportunity to attend once again is something I’ll cherish, and it will be an incredibly special moment for me and my family.

Justin Verlander said

When the time comes, Verlander will likely be a 1st ballot Hall of Famer. After debuting in 2005, he spent his first 13 seasons with the Tigers. In 2011, he won the Triple Crown as he led the league in wins (24), had the lowest ERA (2.40), and had the most strikeouts (250).

This saw him not only win his first Cy Young Award but also earn the American League MVP crown. In 2017, he was traded to the Houston Astros, where he won 2 more Cy Young Awards at the age of 36 in 2019 and 39 in 2022. He also won 2 World Series titles in Houston.

He then joined the New York Mets in 2023 and paired up with his old teammate, Max Scherzer. However, his time in the Mets did not go as planned, and he was traded back to the Astros in the second half of the season.

In 2025, he joined the San Francisco Giants. In his lone season with the NL West team, Verlander posted a 3.85 ERA.

He ranks 8th on the most strikeouts list with 3,554. As for wins, he is ranked 37th with 266 in the regular season. He is also one of the 6 pitchers to throw 3 no-hitters in their career.

As for the Tigers, they are currently 42-50 for the season after a 6-1 win over the Athletics. It will be interesting to see if the Tigers could make a huge push in the second half and go to the playoffs in Verlander’s final season.

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