Tough luck for Justin Verlander.
He’s the clear-cut pick to start fot the American League All-Star team, but — barring a rainout in the next week — he won’t get the chance, because he’s scheduled to pitch the Sunday before the game.
And MLB rules no longer permit any starting pitcher to pitch in the All-Star Game on one day’s rest.
That’ll deprive Verlander and AL starting catcher Alex Avila from making a little history. The only all-Tigers batteries to start the All-Star Game were the tandems of Denny McLain and Bill Freehan in 1966, and Kenny Rogers and Pudge Rodriguez five years ago.
Before Rodriguez, the last Tigers catcher to start an All-Star Game was Lance Parrish in 1986. And before Rogers, the last Tigers pitcher to start was Jack Morris in 1985.
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