The Detroit Tigers are preparing to say goodbye to one of the greatest pitchers in franchise history, as Justin Verlander gets ready to make the final start of his career before retiring Saturday.

The future Hall of Famer’s farewell comes after more than two decades in the major leagues, during which he won an MVP, multiple Cy Young Awards, a World Series championship and established himself as a throwback starter as the role of the starting pitcher changed.

“When Justin Verlander steps off the mound for the final time in his illustrious career on Saturday, it won’t just be the final start of his Hall of Fame career,” Ryan Canfield wrote for Fox News . “It also signals the end of an era in baseball history: the death of the workhorse starting pitcher.”

But before Verlander takes the mound one final time, he is looking back on one of the most memorable performances of his career — and it came against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros Legend Justin Verlander Remembers Historic Toronto Blue Jays Game

Verlander threw three career no-hitters, with his third coming against Toronto while he was a member of the Houston Astros in 2019. It was particularly memorable because he had already thrown a second career no-hitter against the Blue Jays as a Tiger in 2011 and he was aware that the list of pitchers who had ever thrown three no-hitters was significantly smaller.

“I knew the third one was a big one,” Verlander said of his pursuit of a third no-hitter, which he ultimately earned against the Blue Jays with the Astros in 2019, in an interview with Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts shortly before his final start. “The number of people who have thrown two versus three gets really small, and I had come agonizingly close many times… The reaction to that one was like, finally, it was a relief.”

The 2019 performance became historic for another reason. The Astros entered the ninth inning in a tie with the Blue Jays. Then, with two outs in the top of the ninth, former Astros teammate Abraham Toro broke the scoreless tie with an astounding two-run homer off of the Blue Jays.

“This game was zero-zero going into the ninth,” Verlander told Betts. “Abraham Toro was down 0-2 and hit an opposite field homer, 0-2, two outs.”

That gave Verlander the only run support he needed. He returned for the bottom of the ninth and retired Brandon Drury, Reese McGuire and Bo Bichette to complete the 2-0 victory and his third career no-hitter. Verlander became just the sixth pitcher in history to throw at least three no-hitters.

Justin Verlander Reflects On Toronto Blue Jays, Houston Astros Moment Before Final Start With Detroit Tigers

The significance of the accomplishment was not lost on Verlander, who had previously watched two no-hit bids disappear during the ninth inning.

The moment also carried an unusual connection to Toronto because Toro, a native of Quebec, supplied the decisive home run before helping record the final out by fielding Bichette’s grounder at third.

Now, as Verlander prepares for his final start, that unforgettable afternoon in Toronto stands among the defining moments of a career that is finally reaching its conclusion.