Justin Verlander Twitter photo.
Justin Verlander
After jumping ship from the Titanic, ex-Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander is off for a new adventure Tuesday night.
He debuts for the Houston Astros in a game against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Stadium in Seattle. He'll play in front of friends and fiancee Kate Upton, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
“You know how hard it was for people to try to get here,” Verlander tells USA Today, laughing. “This is the farthest I could have been. It’s just as well. It’s going to be so nerve-wracking. I know I’ll be so nervous.
“It’ll be like opening day. It really doesn’t matter if you win on opening day, but that game’s so nerve-wracking because it’s new.”
Verlander will be be with the Astros at least through 2019 when he his contract expires.
Clearly, at age 34, Verlander would have had no shot at competing for a World Series title had he stuck around Detroit.
“Look, there was a lot of comfort and everything staying in one place the entire time and creating a legacy. That’s something that meant a lot to me. But ultimately it was best for both sides when I really sat down and thought about it, and I think everybody understood that."
