Windsor: Will Verlander's return boost struggling Tigers?

Justin Verlander is expected to make his first major league start of the season this weekend. The former Cy Young winner can't do much about the Tigers' struggling lineup, but if he brings the promise he showed in his last minor league start, he can certainly strengthen the team's struggling rotation.

On the same day Verlander made his second-rehab start for the Mud Hens, David Price took the mound in Chicago. He threw nine innings and gave up just one run.

It was the sort of outing we used to see from Verlander, a command performance that snapped an eight-game losing streak. In just one day, we were reminded why it's never a good idea to make predictions in June, and why, for all the worrying about offense — and yeah, you were right to worry — it's still about the pitching.

And defense.

Teams that have neither don't often contend. Teams that do can survive a scuffling lineup. See: last year's team in Kansas City.

This year's team in Detroit doesn't have the rotation we've grown accustomed to. In fact, the number's say it's average — ninth best ERA in the American League. The eye test says it, too.

Price has been good. At times, like Saturday against the White Sox, very good. Alfredo Simon has been solid, often better than that.

Everyone else?

Well, we're still looking for Anibal Sanchez. And while Shane Greene made the Yankees look foolish the first couple weeks of the season, he has pitched since then as if the joke is on the Tigers.

Greene gets another start Wednesday, and was chosen over Kyle Ryan, when the Tigers wrap up their two-game set against the Cubs. Brad Ausmus told reporters that the percentages favored Greene — the Cubs have several right-handed hitters.

Greene working to get back arm slot, slider

The guess here, however, is that the team isn't quite ready to pull Greene from his spot in the order. The sinkerball pitcher hasn't had enough sink in his pitches lately.

He kept the ball down to begin the season. When he does this, he can be a shutdown pitcher, as he showed in April.

Meanwhile, Kyle Lobstein held down Verlander's place in the order until a shoulder injury took him out of the rotation in late May. Lobstein pitched solidly. His absence, however, brought even more uncertainty.

Verlander's arrival should help settle that. If he pitches with the clarity and purpose he talked about in the spring — adjusting to his changing arsenal, namely — he gives the team a good 1-2-3 in the rotation, along with Price and Simon.

Ausmus and Dave Dombrowski should be able to cobble together enough pieces from the farm system for one of those slots ... Ryan? This means Greene has to find consistency to solidify the other.

None of this matters, of course, if the Tigers don't get more production from its offense. Right now, their bats are middle of the pack on the season, but that doesn't reflect the struggles during the recent losing streak.

Fenech: Fighting through skid may help Tigers down the line

Ausmus told reporters in Chicago that the team missed Victor Martinez's influence in the clubhouse and the dugout. His approach at the plate is so intense and precise that it actually lifts up other hitters in the lineup.

It's hard to argue with Ausmus' argument here. The team is 7-11 without him, and it's not like Martinez was raking when he was in the lineup.

Getting the designated hitter back — it could happen in a couple of weeks — would give the team a boost at the plate, in the same way getting Verlander back can lift the team from the mound.

Verlander may not have the same charismatic clubhouse presence as Martinez, but he's got the respect that comes from a resume filled with spectacular work.

Last Saturday, the team stopped its ugliest losing streak in several years. The team's current ace made sure of it.

On the same day, the team's former ace showed is he ready to contribute, too. In less than 24 hours we got a reminder of how things change in baseball, and why talking about September in June is nothing more than guess work.

Contact Shawn Windsor: 313-222-6487 or swindsor@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @shawnwindsor.