Justin Verlander isn't very good at this whole retirement thing. Barely a week after he threw the final pitch of his legendary major league career, Verlander, the iconic Tiger, was back to work this week as a member of Fox's team of studio analysts for the Major League Baseball playoffs. Verlander joined Derek Jeter, David Ortiz and Alex Rodriguez in the Fox studio Tuesday, Oct. 6. And his ...

Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander pauses as he adjusts his hat before taking the mound for the final start of his career, on Sept. 26, 2026, at Comerica Park in Detroit.

Robin Buckson, The Detroit News/The Detroit News/TNS

Justin Verlander isn't very good at this whole retirement thing.

Barely a week after he threw the final pitch of his legendary major league career, Verlander, the iconic Tiger, was back to work this week as a member of Fox's team of studio analysts for the Major League Baseball playoffs. Verlander joined Derek Jeter, David Ortiz and Alex Rodriguez in the Fox studio Tuesday, Oct. 6.

And his presence caught current major league stars off-guard during postgame interviews.

"Didn't you just retire, man?" said Manny Machado of the San Diego Padres, following a 4-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 3 of the National League Division Series. "You gotta enjoy it a little bit."

"Hold on, J. That was so awesome to watch in that final start," said Freddie Freeman of the Los Angeles Dodgers, after his team's 3-1 win over the Atlanta Braves in Game 3 of that NLDS. "Congratulations on a Hall of Fame career. Miss you, and congrats. OK, go ahead."

"Come on, man," Verlander said to Freeman, with a straight face. "I gotta get to work now."

Verlander, as you'd expect, was plenty prepared for his debut as a Fox analyst, with pointed questions, and some good laughs, as well, including during a trivia showdown with Ortiz.

Ortiz, the Hall of Fame slugger, and Verlander, who will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, took turns throwing cakes, watermelons and pumpkins at Fatheads of each other, off an outdoor balcony at the Fox studios.

"It's nice to be the young guy on a team for once," quipped Verlander, 43.

Verlander played 22 years in the majors, including 14 with the Tigers, with whom he debuted in 2005, won American League rookie of the year in 2006, won MVP and Cy Young awards in 2011, and led to the World Series in 2006 and 2012. Verlander returned to the Tigers for the 2026 season but was limited by injuries two just to starts.

One of those starts, though, will be remembered for a long time — his last start, Saturday, Sept. 26, when he struck out six in 5 1/3 innings, before he was taken out of the game by his daughter Genevieve in an emotional scene that went viral and has been discussed on the national shows, including "Good Morning America," "Today" and "The Tonight Show."

Verlander pitched in 10 postseasons and won World Series titles with the Houston Astros in 2017 and 2022.