Twenty-one seasons, fourteen of them in Detroit. A Rookie of the Year award, an MVP, three Cy Youngs and ten All-Star selections. Then one last afternoon on the Comerica Park mound. On Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, Justin Verlander made the final start of his career in front of a sold-out crowd. He threw 91 pitches and struck out six as fans filled the ballpark with Verlander jerseys, "JV" chants and signs thanking him. When he was done, manager A.J. Hinch took the ball, and soon every player on the field had gathered at the mound to send him off. Before the weekend was over, Verlander had told the city: "I am, and always will be, a Detroit Tiger."
This print reproduces The Detroit News commemorative section front page from September 28, 2026. The headline says it simply: "Thanks, JV." Below it, a sunlit photo captures the quiet moment that stood out amid all the noise: Verlander, in his home whites, handing the game ball to his daughter, Genevieve, who beams back in her own Tigers jersey. The page also previews coverage inside, including Bob Wojnarowski's column on Verlander's exit, a look at the sights from his last game and the Tigers' sendoff.
For Tigers fans who watched Verlander from his early days in Detroit to his final pitch, this front page is a lasting piece of franchise history. It fits naturally in a living room, home office, man cave, game room or a young fan's bedroom, and it makes a thoughtful gift for birthdays, Father's Day, holidays or anyone who was there at Comerica Park that day.