Verlander likely to start for Tigers on Saturday

ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. — Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander threw for a second consecutive day on Wednesday at Tropicana Field and said he plans to start on Saturday against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field.

"The plan was to throw," Verlander said. "Yesterday was light catch, just to kind of get everything moving again. Today I backed it up long toss, stretched it out a little bit. Started to work the kinks out. Today felt a lot better than yesterday."

Verlander said he knocked some rust off and expects to feel even better Thursday.

"I would say it's strong to quite strong," Verlander said on the likelihood he'll start this weekend against the Twins.

He said that would have been the case even if the Tigers didn't have a doubleheader scheduled. He said he planned to throw a light bullpen on Thursday.

"Usually my bullpen would have been today," Verlander said. "It'll be a day late, so we're going to tone it down a little bit."

Verlander said he hopes the shoulder inflammation is something he won't have todeal with the rest of the year. He said he doesn't view it as a risk to come back this soon.

"We need to make the playoffs," he said. "We need to get back in that routine, that starting routine. So, I'm going to be out there."

Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said assuming there's no surprises after Verlander's bullpen Thursday, he'll start on Saturday. Ausmus said it would be up to Verlander whether he starts the day game or night game on Saturday against the Twins.

Ausmus confirmed that Robbie Ray will pitch on Friday and Buck Farmer will be called up from Class AAA Toledo to start the other game on Saturday.

Sipple writes for the Detroit Free Press, a Gannett property