MLB pitching great Verlander to retire after 2026 season

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Justin Verlander, a three-time Cy Young Award winner and the oldest active MLB player, announced he will retire after the 2026 season citing new personal and physical challenges this year. His decision marks the conclusion of an esteemed baseball career.

Three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander, the oldest active player in Major League Baseball at 43, will retire after the 2026 season, he said on Wednesday."This season has challenged me in ways I haven't experienced before, both physically and mentally," Verlander, the 2011 American League Most Valuable Player, said in a statement posted on X. "I've always believed that as long as I could compete at the level I expect of myself, I'd keep playing.