DETROIT -- The first time that Pirates manager Don Kelly saw Justin Verlander pitch, he threw so hard that the opposing team’s stadium turned its radar gun off.
The year was 2005, and Verlander was making his Double-A debut for the Erie SeaWolves (Detroit) while Kelly was an established veteran on the club. As the SeaWolves took on New Hampshire (Toronto), the Fisher Cats' brand-new stadium had a state-of-the-art radar gun on the scoreboard. Verlander mowed down the lineup with 100-plus mph fastballs. The Fisher Cats, naturally, put an end to the show.
Fast forward 21 years later, and Verlander will make the final start of his illustrious career Saturday against Kelly’s Pirates at Comerica Park on Saturday. The three-time Cy Young winner and former MVP played with Kelly in Detroit’s organization, and Pittsburgh’s pitching coach, Bill Murphy, coached Verlander with the Astros.
“It's unbelievable the career that he's had, no doubt, first-ballot Hall of Famer,” Kelly said. “To play third base his first start in Double-A, and then to have the years that we had from '09 through '14, and then back again in 2019, my first year coaching … elite competitor. He's a winner, and just the way that he's gone about it and the success that he's had, it'll be cool to be there for his last start on Saturday.”
As Kelly was a reliable utility man on a Tigers team regularly at the top of the American League, Verlander was the bona fide ace. Kelly recalls multiple competitive card games and a few funny stories, too.
There was Kelly’s first Major League error, which came with Verlander on the mound. Kelly sailed a ball from third base into the first-base stands, prompting manager Jim Leyland to ask if he was throwing it to the vendor in the second deck. Verlander responded to the error by striking out the side, relieving Kelly of any more ridicule.
Then there was the infamous hot foot moment in 2011, when Verlander pranked Kelly by lighting a fire on the back of his cleat.
“It was hot, and I wasn't really too happy about it afterwards, but it was a good moment,” Kelly said. “We laughed, and he got me pretty good with that one.”
Murphy experienced Verlander through the twilight era of his career in Houston, where he added to his resume while evolving as a pitcher. Murphy joined the Astros’ staff in 2016, a year before Verlander was traded over at the Deadline.
Murphy described Verlander as a “power pitcher,” and one of the best right-handed pitchers in the history of the game.
“I think JV did everything he possibly could from a performance perspective, to take the ball 32-35 times every single year and dominate,” Murphy said. “He was so prepared for his outings every single outing. Didn't matter if he was facing the best team or the worst team. He was so prepared because he knew that every single time he took the mound, he was pitching for awards, and if you can get to that point, that's really special.”
What impressed Murphy most was how Verlander reinvented himself after missing all of 2021 following Tommy John surgery. Murphy said he made it look easy in his return, winning AL Cy Young for the third time with a 1.75 ERA in '22.
When Verlander earned his first win in a World Series game in 2022, Murphy remembers the ace treasuring the moment more than most. It was a long time coming, and another accolade to add to the list.
Of course, Kelly, Murphy and the Pirates will look to spoil Verlander’s final appearance while they fight for a strong finish to 2026. Though with a sea of orange at Comerica Park, and Verlander on the bump, it will be a moment for all baseball fans to take in. Even if they’re in the opposing dugout.
“He's a competitor, man, and he wants to be out there,” Kelly said. “I think the thing that stood out with Justin is you may have beat him, but he never lost. He just kept on going, and that's just the mindset that he took: he was always going to go out there and keep competing, and this year was no different.”