On Saturday at TigerFest, manager Brad Ausmus announced that Justin Verlander will be the Detroit Tigers Opening Day starting pitcher. The Tigers first game will be played on April 3rd in Chicago against the White Sox.
.@tigers skipper Brad Ausmus announces @JustinVerlander will get the nod on #OpeningDay. pic.twitter.com/LiNNZq8cAP
— MLB (@MLB) January 21, 2017
Ausmus said the rest of the rotation was yet to be determined.
Justin Verlander will start Opening Day, #Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said today at TigerFest. Order of rest of rotation is up in the air.
— Matthew B. Mowery (@matthewbmowery) January 21, 2017
Verlander was great for the Tigers in 2016, going 16-9 with a 3.04 ERA in 34 starts. On the season, he struck out a league-best 254 batters and was voted 2nd place for the American League Cy Young award, behind former Tigers pitcher, Rick Porcello.