Tentative Justin Verlander return date has Tigers fans prepared to flock to Comerica

Justin Verlander's first rehab start at Triple-A Toledo on Tuesday was exactly what Tigers fans wanted to see. He pitched five shutout innings on 64 pitches, struck out three batters, and walked none.

Funnily enough, it earned him the first Triple-A win of his career; he skipped Triple-A when he was coming up through the Tigers' system and had not gotten a win in four rehab starts dating back to 2015.

The Tigers were apparently so pleased this development that they're not ruling out Verlander's reactivation after just the one start.

"Right now, committing either way is unnecessary," AJ Hinch said on Wednesday. "We'll see how he feels coming out of it and evaluate his outing as to whether another one is warranted or if he's available to come back."

If they decide he doesn't need to stay in Triple-A any longer, he'll be lined up to make his first home start on Tuesday, June 9 against the Twins — just about nine years since his last home start as a Tiger — and fans are already chomping at the bit.

A good vibes sweep of the best team in the American League and the potential return of a franchise legend tends to do that.

Justin Verlander could be available to return to Tigers as early as June 9

This is exactly what the Tigers wanted when they re-signed Verlander — the grand return selling out Comerica, the fans who couldn't get in buying streaming subscriptions — but the perfect start to June certainly helps. If Detroit had lost their series against the Rays, it's fair to speculate that the reaction to Verlander's comeback would've been dampened.

What matters most, of course, is whether or not he'll actually be able to turn on the afterburners and help his old club in what could be the last year of his career. As much as Tigers fans want to be there for Verlander's return to Comerica because of the nostalgia and the novelty of it, watching him get shelled the same way he was against the Diamondbacks would be hard to watch.

We'll be positive for a second, though. The most recent outing we have to go off of was almost flawless, and Tigers fans would be the last to ever count Verlander out entirely.

Even though a Tuesday return has yet to be confirmed, our fingers and toes are crossed.

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