LAKELAND, Fla. -- Before Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander makes his final Spring Training tuneup for Opening Day, he'll make his pitch for pet adoption in his offseason hometown of Lakeland on Thursday. Verlander and supermodel/actress Kate Upton will host the second annual Grand Slam Adoption Event, featuring adoptable dogs from SPCA Florida.
The event, in partnership with the Detroit Tigers and Verlander's Wins for Warriors Foundation, will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET at Joker Marchant Stadium, where the Tigers will take on the Yankees at 1:05 p.m. All proceeds will benefit SPCA Florida and K9s for Warriors, a foundation dedicated to providing service dogs to veterans suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injury and other trauma resulting from post-9/11 military service.