Verlander's final chapter begins

Justin Verlander will make his 557th and final Major League start Saturday at Comerica Park against the Pirates, ending a 21-year career with the Tigers.

A long road back from injury

Sidelined since late March with left hip inflammation and a hamstring strain, Verlander has spent most of the season unable to pitch. He didn't expect this to be his final year.

“Obviously it's been frustrating, not at all how I envisioned the year going.”

Pushed by fan love and legacy

Verlander could have retired months ago but pushed hard to earn this final start, driven by the love Tigers fans showed him and his desire to pitch competitively one last time.

“I could've easily hung it up a month or two ago, but really pushed as hard as I possibly could.”

No warm-up starts, full intensity

With no rehab starts and limited ramp-up time, Verlander's arm isn't stretched out for a traditional start. But he's made clear he won't settle for a one-inning cameo.

“He's made it perfectly clear to me that he doesn't want the one-inning sendoff.”

Chasing the perfect ending

The 43-year-old pitcher dreams of an exit like Billy Chapel, the fictional Tigers pitcher who threw a perfect game in his final start in the 1999 movie For Love of the Game.

“I would like to toe the rubber one more time in a competitive way and try to win the Detroit Tigers a ballgame.”

Soaking it all in this time

Unlike his usual game-day routine of tuning out the world with headphones, Verlander plans to absorb the moment Saturday while staying competitive and giving everything he has.

“I'm not going to throw the headphones on. I'm not going to not talk to people.”