Tigers Place Verlander on IL with Hip Inflammation

The Detroit Tigers placed veteran pitcher Justin Verlander on the 15-day injured list Saturday with left hip inflammation, retroactive to April 1, delaying his highly anticipated first home start since 2017. The 43-year-old right-hander, the oldest active player in Major League Baseball, was scheduled to pitch Sunday night at Comerica Park against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Verlander's injury emerged after a challenging season debut on March 30 against the Arizona Diamondbacks. In that outing, he allowed five earned runs on six hits, including two home runs, over 3 2/3 innings, resulting in a 9-6 loss for the Tigers. He threw 80 pitches, recording one strikeout and two walks. Following the start, discomfort in his left hip worsened during a bullpen session April 4. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said the decision to sideline Verlander was precautionary, especially with cold weather expected. "We've got to protect our rotation," Hinch said. "For Montero, defining the role where we felt like he can help us the most was going to be, at some point, in our rotation."

To fill the gap, the Tigers recalled right-hander Keider Montero from Triple-A Toledo. The 25-year-old is set to start...