Justin Verlander’s final Major League start was already going to be emotional. The opponent waiting in the other dugout makes it even more remarkable.

When Verlander takes the mound Saturday against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Comerica Park, former Detroit Tigers teammate Don Kelly will manage the opposing club. That alone would be a fitting connection, but their history goes back much further than Kelly’s six seasons in Detroit.

Kelly was playing third base for the Erie SeaWolves when Verlander made his Double-A debut in 2005. Twenty-one years later, he will have a front-row seat as Verlander pitches for the final time.

Don Kelly Was There at the Beginning

Verlander’s fastball reportedly reached triple digits during that Double-A debut against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. According to MLB.com, the stadium eventually stopped displaying the readings on its scoreboard.

Kelly still remembers watching the young right-hander begin a journey that would eventually include three Cy Young Awards, an American League MVP award and two World Series championships.

“It’s unbelievable the career that he’s had, no doubt, first-ballot Hall of Famer,” Kelly said. “To play third base his first start in Double-A, and then to have the years that we had from ’09 through ’14, and then back again in 2019, my first year coaching … elite competitor. He’s a winner, and just the way that he’s gone about it and the success that he’s had, it’ll be cool to be there for his last start on Saturday.”

Kelly and Verlander later became teammates in Detroit during some of the Tigers’ most successful seasons. They shared four consecutive AL Central championships from 2011 through 2014 before reuniting with the organization in Houston in 2019, when Kelly served as a coach.

Another Familiar Face in Pittsburgh’s Dugout

Kelly is not the only member of Pittsburgh’s staff with a Verlander connection.

Pirates pitching coach Bill Murphy previously worked with Verlander in Houston. Murphy watched him evolve from a power pitcher into a more complete ace—and then return from Tommy John surgery to capture another Cy Young Award in 2022.

“I think JV did everything he possibly could from a performance perspective, to take the ball 32-35 times every single year and dominate,” Murphy said. “He was so prepared for his outings every single outing. Didn’t matter if he was facing the best team or the worst team. He was so prepared because he knew that every single time he took the mound, he was pitching for awards, and if you can get to that point, that’s really special.”

Detroit has planned an entire farewell weekend around Verlander’s final appearance, which will come after the 43-year-old pushed through multiple injuries to return to the mound.

Verlander has made it clear that he does not want a ceremonial one-inning appearance. He wants to compete and help Detroit win one final game.

“He’s a competitor, man, and he wants to be out there,” Kelly said. “I think the thing that stood out with Justin is you may have beat him, but he never lost. He just kept on going, and that’s just the mindset that he took: he was always going to go out there and keep competing, and this year was no different.”

Verlander’s final start has been officially set, and baseball could not have scripted the opponent any better.

Don Kelly was standing behind Verlander when his Double-A career began. On Saturday, he will be standing in the opposite dugout when Verlander’s career ends.

That is one heck of a full-circle moment.