As of this writing (July 21st), the Detroit Tigers are 45-51 and are CLEARLY a better team than they have been the last few years.

And with Tuesday's announcement that Tigers starting pitcher Spencer Turnbull is lost for the season (and most of 2022) due to Tommy John surgery, I believe the Tigers need to bring back one of the franchise's all-time greatest pitchers.  Yes,  I mean JV himself, Justin Verlander (pictured while pitching for Detroit).  Hear me out, folks.

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Verlander is undergoing rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery and is missing this season because of it.

But JV is a free agent after this season.  He is 38 years old and has spent the last 4 1/2 seasons with the Houston Astros.  But has recently spoken about his affinity for Detroit, the team that drafted him out of Old Dominion in 2004.

Who better to be a veteran mentor to the Tigers young pitchers (Casey Mize, Tarik Skubal, and Matt Manning) than a likely future Hall of Famer in Justin Verlander?

You've got an open spot with Turnbull being out next year,  You don't how good Matthew Boyd will be after he comes back later this year.  Why not sign Justin Verlander to a short-term deal (three years max) for "reasonable" dollars to be a mentor and allow him to finish his career where it started?

I'd do it.  GM Al Avila said this week that the team is NOT in rebuilding mode anymore.  And he's even said that the team could add some salary in the next few months.

I'd sign JV for next year.  I think it's a win-win for the Tigers.  What do you think?

Mad Dog's Modern Day All-Star Baseball Team

In one way or another, these players have had a special impact on me because of the way they played the great game of baseball.

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