DETROIT (AP) — Justin Verlander's long-awaited return to Comerica Park as a member of the Detroit Tigers was put on hold Saturday.
Verlander, the major league's oldest active player at 43, was placed on the 15-day injured list with left hip inflammation. On Sunday night, Verlander was scheduled to make his first start in a Tigers uniform at Detroit's home park since Aug. 20, 2017.
“It's frustrating for me, obviously,” Verlander said. “I also know a lot of fans were excited about tomorrow night.”
Verlander was dealt to Houston at the trade deadline in 2017. He re-signed with Detroit on a one-year, $13 million contract in February after spending last season with San Francisco.
Verlander made 380 starts for Detroit from 2005-17. In his first start this season, Verlander gave up five runs and six hits in 3 2/3 innings on Monday against Arizona and took the loss.
The injury popped up during that start. Verlander said it wasn't serious and that he might have been able to pitch on Sunday but the organization wanted to take a cautious approach.
“It was really sore the next day or two but it's been trending in the right direction,” he said. “So it was kind of a wait-and-see game if it could get good enough. To be quite frank, it probably is good enough if we wanted to push it. But AJ (manager AJ Hinch) and the front office — and I agree with them — felt it was not the time of year to do that. And unfortunately we don't have an off-day to finagle with it, which also kind of hurts.”
Verlander believes he'll have a short stay on the IL.
“It's not ideal but nothing too bad,” he said. “I think we got it under control.”
RHP Keider Montero was recalled from Triple-A Toledo and is expected to start the finale of a three-game series against St. Louis.
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Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander works against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of an opening-day baseball game Monday, March 30, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)
Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander prepares to hand off the ball to manager A.J. Hinch during the fourth inning of an opening-day baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks Monday, March 30, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)
Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander wipes his brow as he walks off the field during the fourth inning of an opening-day baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks Monday, March 30, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)
Second-tier Southampton caused a huge shock by beating Premier League leader Arsenal in the FA Cup quarterfinals on Saturday after Manchester City dispatched Liverpool 4-0 thanks to a hat trick by Erling Haaland.
Fresh off losing the English League Cup final to City before the international break, Arsenal saw another potential trophy slip from its grasp when conceding in the 85th minute to lose 2-1 at Southampton — a team in seventh place in the Championship.
It left City as the big favorite to clinch a cup double this season, with the thrashing of Liverpool securing a place in the FA Cup semifinals for a record eighth straight season.
Mohamed Salah’s failure from the penalty spot added to the woes of Liverpool, whose meltdown at Etihad Stadium will put more heat on under-pressure manager Arne Slot.
Chelsea also advanced, routing third-tier Port Vale 7-0. The semifinal line-up will be completed Sunday when West Ham hosts Leeds, after which the last-four draw will be made.
So much for Arsenal's hopes of a quadruple of major trophies this season.
It's now just the Premier League and Champions League up for grabs with manager Mikel Arteta's decision to field a weakened lineup backfiring at St. Mary's stadium.
Trailing to a 35th-minute strike by Ross Stewart, Arsenal sent on Viktor Gyokeres — fresh off scoring the goal that lifted Sweden into the World Cup on Tuesday — and the striker equalized in the 68th.
Still, Southampton continued to look dangerous on the counterattack and Shea Charles, a former academy product at Man City, fired home from inside the area to secure a famous win.
“To go and beat arguably the best team in Europe at the minute is an incredible feeling,” Stewart said.
In an added blow to Arsenal ahead of its upcoming Champions League quarterfinal against Sporting Lisbon, Brazil center back Gabriel Magalhaes was forced off with a left knee injury midway through the second half. He was seen later with ice on the knee.
Haaland's 18-minute hat trick started with a penalty in the 39th minute after Virgil van Dijk tripped Nico O'Reilly. Then he headed home a cross from Antoine Semenyo in first-half stoppage time, before sweeping in a finish off the crossbar in the 57th.
The Norway striker's first hat trick of the season for City was his 12th for the club since he joined in 2022.
Semenyo scored the other goal in the 50th for City, which sealed a return to Wembley Stadium two weeks after beating Arsenal there in the League Cup final.
“This club has to win trophies,” said Haaland, who was described after the game as a “machine” by City assistant coach Pep Lijnders — the former Liverpool No. 2 who was deputizing in the dugout while Pep Guardiola served a touchline suspension.
Salah, who announced during the international break he’s leaving Liverpool after nine trophy-filled seasons, was beginning his long goodbye to the Reds but couldn’t mark it with a goal. The best of the many chances he spurned came from a penalty, which City goalkeeper James Trafford palmed away in the 64th.
It was a record 18th straight home win for City in the FA Cup, dating to 2017. Guardiola's team shared a record with Clapham Rovers for reaching seven consecutive FA Cup finals but now holds it outright.
Many Liverpool fans were seen leaving the stadium after the fourth City goal.
“The fighting spirit wasn’t there enough, the mentality wasn’t there enough," Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai said. "None of us were there to be honest as much as we could.
“It’s a hard time but we have to stick together."
Like City, Chelsea romped to a big win — though this one was expected.
Playing without Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez for disciplinary reasons, Chelsea still had more than enough to dispatch Port Vale at Stamford Bridge thanks to goals by Jorrel Hato, Joao Pedro, Tosin Adarabioyo, Andrey Santos, Estevao and Alejandro Garnacho. There was also an own-goal.
Chelsea has won the FA Cup eight times, most recently in 2018.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Southampton's team players celebrate after Shea Charles scored his side's second goal during the English FA Cup quaterfinal soccer match between Southampton and Arsenal in Southampton, England, Saturday, April 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)
Chelsea's Andrey Santos, second left, celebrates after scoring his side's fifth goal during the English FA Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Chelsea and Port Vale in London, England, Saturday, April 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)
Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola watchs from the stand during the FA Cup quarter-final soccer match between Manchester City and Liverpool in Manchester, England, Saturday, April 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Liverpool's manager Arne Slot reacts during the FA Cup quarter-final soccer match between Manchester City and Liverpool in Manchester, England, Saturday, April 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah;, left, and Manchester City's Abdukodir Khusanov fight for the ball during the FA Cup quarter-final soccer match between Manchester City and Liverpool in Manchester, England, Saturday, April 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Manchester City's Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring during the FA Cup quarter-final soccer match between Manchester City and Liverpool in Manchester, England, Saturday, April 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Manchester City's Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring his third goal during the FA Cup quarter-final soccer match between Manchester City and Liverpool in Manchester, England, Saturday, April 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
