Justin Verlander says he's happy that rumors of a big Detroit Tigers selloff this offseason proved to be just that -- rumors.
The Tigers' ace, in an interview with MLB Network Radio on Friday, says he's happy that Detroit has held on to its key players entering the 2017 season.
"It would have been upsetting to me if we started trading away everybody. I'm too old to be part of a rebuilding process. But they kept saying wholeheartedly that we're not doing a rebuild, we're trying to do smart baseball decisions, and if we can't make those decisions, we're not going to blow up the team. I believed them."
Verlander, who will turn 34 next month, went 16-9 with a 3.04 ERA in 2016.
He said if the Tigers, owned by Mike Ilitch, did approach him about a trade, he'd have to think long and hard about it.
"It was interesting hearing about [the trade rumors]. All of a sudden it gets your wheels spinning a little," he told MLB Network Radio. "I'm 10-5 and have a full no-trade [clause], so I would have to OK anything. I love Detroit, have been there whole career, which nowadays is rare.
"I would have to weigh a lot of things. We want to win, and Mr. Ilitch has done a great job my entire career there putting a great product on the field, and it looks like we're going to be that way again."
Tigers GM Al Avila said in November that the team would shed payroll this offseason, and that would mean he'd listen to offers on any player currently on the roster, including Verlander and All-Star first baseman Miguel Cabrera.