Justin Verlander's Brother Excited for Tigers Reunion

Ben Verlander expresses enthusiasm for his brother's return to Detroit.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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As veteran pitcher Justin Verlander prepares to rejoin the Detroit Tigers on a one-year, $13 million contract, his brother Ben Verlander is among the most excited about the reunion. Ben, a longtime Tigers fan, took to social media to express his enthusiasm, posting in all caps about his "favorite team adding my favorite player." While Justin Verlander has plenty to prove as he nears the end of his MLB career, the Tigers are hoping he can provide consistency and experience to their rotation as they aim for a deep playoff run.

Why it matters

The Verlander brothers have a long history with the Tigers organization, with Justin establishing himself as one of the franchise's all-time greats during his initial 13-year stint in Detroit. The reunion holds sentimental value, but the Tigers are also counting on Verlander to be a valuable veteran presence as they look to take the next step and contend for a championship.

The details

Justin Verlander, a nine-time All-Star, three-time Cy Young Award winner, and former MVP, is returning to the Tigers after spending the last several seasons with other teams. In 2025, he pitched to a 3.85 ERA and 137/52 K/BB ratio over 29 starts for the San Francisco Giants. The Tigers are hoping the 43-year-old can provide stability and experience at the back of their rotation as they aim to make a deep playoff run.

  • Justin Verlander signed a one-year, $13 million contract with the Detroit Tigers on February 10, 2026.

The players

Justin Verlander

A veteran pitcher who is returning to the Detroit Tigers, the team where he established himself as one of the franchise's all-time greats over 13 seasons.

Ben Verlander

The brother of Justin Verlander, who is a longtime Tigers fan and expressed his enthusiasm for his brother's reunion with the team on social media.

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What they’re saying

“JUSTIN VERLANDER TO THE DETROIT TIGERS. HE'S GOING BACK. MY FAVORITE TEAM ADDED MY FAVORITE PLAYER LET'S GOOOOO.”

— Ben Verlander (X (formerly Twitter)

The takeaway

The Verlander brothers' reunion in Detroit holds both sentimental and practical value for the Tigers, as they look to Justin's experience and leadership to help guide the team to a deep playoff run in 2026.