DETROIT -- Justin Verlander was nowhere to be seen Thursday afternoon, when the Detroit Tigers kicked off their two-day Winter Caravan tour at Comerica Park.

Whether Verlander will be available for duty when the Tigers kick off their 162-game schedule in two months remains to be seen.

General manager Dave Dombrowski said Thursday that Verlander is doing very well

, but he did leave open the possibility that Verlander will not be ready to pitch when the season opens March 31.

"He's doing great," Dombrowski said. "I'm not concerned for him being out an extended period. If he misses any time of the season, it would only be a very short time period. I'm not ready to say that he will. But he's doing very well."

Verlander is a tireless worker and a perfectionist. The Tigers are confident that he will do everything he can to be ready as soon as it's physically possible.

But they also want to make sure that he doesn't do more than he should.

"We don't want him to push too hard," Dombrowski said. "We want him to follow the doctor's schedule. He's been under the doctor's guidance. He's stayed there so far. He's been doing phenomenal. He's already moving around. They say he's at the point where he might start doing some movement drills and all beginning next week."

After Verlander underwent surgery Jan. 9, the Tigers announced that the rehabilitation process would take six to eight weeks. That would push him into late February or early March.

Pitchers and catchers report to spring training Feb. 13. Opening Day is March 31.

Verlander, who won Cy Young and Most Valuable Player awards in 2011 and finished second in the Cy Young balloting in 2012, has made six consecutive Opening Day starts for the Tigers. That honor this season could go to either Verlander or Max Scherzer, who won the Cy Young Award in 2013.

Verlander did not come to Detroit for the Winter Caravan due to travel restrictions regarding the surgery.

Detroit Tigers meet with the media before statewide caravan 10 Gallery: Detroit Tigers meet with the media before statewide caravan

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