The Detroit Tigers timed it perfectly.
The video was loaded and ready to roll, as Justin Verlander finished his warm-up for the first time in his career in the visitors’ bullpen in Comerica Park. Yes, that was beyond weird, seeing the former face of the Tigers franchise warming up on the other side, in the other bullpen.
Verlander took a deep breath and started walking across the outfield, toward the Houston Astros’ dugout, as a tribute video started playing on the scoreboard.
This was Verlander’s first appearance in Detroit since he was traded to the Astros last summer, and the Tigers greeted him with a “thank you” video.