LAKELAND, Fla. — Justin Verlander is headed to the disabled list for the first time in his career. Bruce Rondon will start the season on the disabled list for the second consecutive year. The Detroit Tigers will be without both pitchers when they open the season Monday at Comerica Park against the Minnesota Twins.
Verlander will be placed on the disabled list retroactive to Saturday, the day after he last pitched, with a right triceps muscle strain. He is tentatively scheduled to pitch April 12 in the third game of a three-game series against the Cleveland Indians, but that will obviously be dependent upon how his arm recovers. April 12 is the first day he is eligible to return. This is the first time he has been on the disabled list in his career.
Rondon was placed on the disabled list retroactive to Wednesday, but there is no timetable for his return. An MRI showed that he has biceps tendinitis in his right arm. This is a big setback for Rondon, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery that he had last March. He will have to show that he can pitch in back-to-back games before the Tigers will promote him to the big leagues. That is something he hasn’t done this spring. MORE