What has to be the most-anticipated Minor League rehab start of the season will take place Sunday at Victory Field in Indianapolis, Indiana, as 2011 American League Cy Young Award Winner and Most Valuable Player Justin Verlander will take the mound for the first time this regular season against non-Detroit Tigers' players.
Verlander, who strained his triceps on March 27 in a Spring Training game against Toronto in Dunedin, has participated in multiple bullpen sessions and simulated games. In fact, fellow Detroit ace David Price tweeted about his teammate's last simulated game Tuesday in Oakland, where the former MVP threw 4 2/3 innings of three-hit ball with no runs allowed and eight strikeouts on seventy pitches.
Tigers Manager Brad Ausmus has yet to announce whether his 2014 Opening Day starter will make one more start for Triple-A Toledo after the scheduled rehab start, but he has said the pitch target Sunday is 80 to 85 pitches.
It must be noted that the current starting rotation's set-up could play a factor in Ausmus' decision considering that Kyle Lobstein, Verlander's original replacement, is now on the DL with shoulder inflammation and Buck Farmer, who pitched Thursday in a spot start against the Los Angeles Angels, allowed a whopping seven earned runs in five innings of work in his first start of the season.
After the start Sunday, the Detroit staff will re-evaulate Verlander and determine if he is ready to rejoin the rotation and make his 2015 season debut.