95 Facts About Verlander

1.

From Manakin-Sabot in Virginia, Verlander attended Old Dominion University and played college baseball for the Monarchs.

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2.

Verlander broke the Monarchs' and Colonial Athletic Association's career records for strikeouts.

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3.

At the 2003 Pan American Games, Verlander helped lead the United States national team to a silver medal.

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4.

Verlander is often regarded as one of the most accomplished players of his generation, and one of the greatest pitchers in history.

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5.

Verlander made his major league debut with the Tigers in 2005 playing there for 12 years as the ace in their starting rotation, as a key figure in four consecutive American League Central division championships and two AL pennants .

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6.

Verlander is among the career pitching leaders for the Tigers, including ranking second in strikeouts, seventh in wins, and eighth in innings pitched .

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7.

Verlander was named ALCS MVP, and was co-winner of the Babe Ruth Award as the Astros won the 2017 World Series.

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8.

In 2018, Verlander became the 114th pitcher in major league history to earn 200 career wins, becoming the 20th-fastest to reach the milestone .

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9.

Verlander is a nine-time MLB All-Star and has led the AL in strikeouts five times, in earned run average twice, and in wins three times.

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10.

Verlander was the AL Rookie of the Year in 2006, and in 2007 pitched the first no-hitter at Comerica Park versus the Milwaukee Brewers.

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11.

Verlander produced his most successful season in 2011, including his second career no-hitter versus the Toronto Blue Jays.

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12.

In 2019, Verlander had his first career 300-strikeout season and won his second Cy Young award while leading the Astros to their second pennant in three seasons.

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13.

Verlander played little league at Tuckahoe Little League in Richmond, VA.

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14.

Verlander completed his career as the all-time strikeout leader at Old Dominion University, the CAA, and the Commonwealth of Virginia history with 427 in.

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15.

Verlander pitched for the USA national baseball team in 2003 and helped the US win a silver medal in the Pan American Games.

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16.

Verlander was named CAA Rookie of the Year in 2002, and earned All-CAA honors in 2003 and 2004.

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17.

Verlander was named the ODU Alumni Association's Male Athlete of the Year in 2004, and was the second overall pick in the 2004 Major League Baseball draft by the Detroit Tigers.

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18.

Verlander made the 2006 Tigers roster out of spring training.

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19.

Verlander allowed one stolen base in 2006 and picked off seven baserunners.

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20.

Verlander's success continued in 2007, as he accumulated 18 wins and posted a 3.

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21.

In 2008, Verlander lost four consecutive games before winning his first one.

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22.

Verlander finished third in the AL Cy Young Award voting behind winner Zack Greinke and runner-up Felix Hernandez.

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23.

Verlander was the first pitcher to win 17 games in four of his first five seasons since Dwight Gooden.

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24.

Verlander became the second Tigers pitcher since Virgil Trucks, and the 30th pitcher in the history of baseball, to throw multiple no-hitters.

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25.

Verlander ended up with a complete game shutout allowing two hits.

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26.

Verlander was selected to his fourth AL All-Star team but he was unable to participate in the game due to the scheduling of his starts.

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27.

In 2011, Verlander received the AL Sporting News Pitcher of the Year Award, Sporting News Player of the Year Award, a Players Choice Award for Player the Year and Most Outstanding American League pitcher, and a USA Today American League Cy Young.

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28.

Verlander was named the cover athlete of Major League Baseball 2K12.

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29.

Verlander won both the 2011 AL Cy Young Award and the AL MVP Award.

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30.

Verlander unanimously won the 2011 AL Cy Young Award and won the AL MVP in a much closer vote.

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31.

Verlander edged out Boston's Jacoby Ellsbury, 280 points to 242 points while collecting 13 of 28 first-place votes.

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32.

Verlander became the second pitcher in baseball history after Don Newcombe to win the Rookie of the Year, Cy Young, and MVP awards in his career.

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33.

Verlander was named to the American League team roster and AL starting pitcher in the All-Star Game.

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34.

Verlander was joined by teammates Prince Fielder and Miguel Cabrera, the former voted as a starter.

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35.

Verlander, who struck out 11 in each of his ALDS starts became the first pitcher in MLB history to record more than 10 strikeouts in a winner-take-all postseason shutout.

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36.

Verlander made his only appearance in the 2012 ALCS in Game 3 against the New York Yankees.

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37.

Verlander pitched Game 1 of the 2012 World Series against the San Francisco Giants and gave up five earned runs in four innings pitched, including giving up two home runs to eventual World Series MVP Pablo Sandoval as the Tigers were swept in the Series.

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38.

Verlander finished second to David Price of the Tampa Bay Rays in a close AL Cy Young Award race.

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39.

Verlander won his second consecutive AL Sporting News Pitcher of the Year Award.

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40.

Verlander was selected as a reserve pitcher for the American League All-Star team by his manager, Jim Leyland who managed the 2013 AL team.

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41.

In Game 2 of the 2013 ALDS, Verlander struck out eleven Oakland Athletics hitters in seven shutout innings.

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42.

Verlander defeated the Athletics in Game 5 of the ALDS for the second straight season and is one of four starting pitchers in Major League history to have multiple wins in elimination postseason games, joining Bob Gibson, Chris Carpenter, and Matt Cain.

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43.

Verlander has thrown 30 consecutive scoreless innings in the postseason against the Athletics, a major league record for a pitcher versus one team surpassing Christy Mathewson's 28 scoreless innings against the Philadelphia Athletics from 1905 to 1911.

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44.

Verlander is the second pitcher in Major League history with ten or more strikeouts and no runs allowed in back-to-back postseason games, joining Sandy Koufax in Games 5 and 7 of the 1965 World Series.

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45.

Verlander was not named to the AL All-Star team for the first time since 2008 snapping a streak of five straight appearances.

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46.

Verlander left the game with right shoulder soreness in the shortest outing of his career.

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47.

Verlander mentioned in 2018 that he had not fully recovered from the core surgery during the 2014 season, contributing to production inferior to his career norms.

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48.

Verlander started the 2015 season on the disabled list due to a right triceps strain, ending his streak of seven consecutive Opening Day starts for the Tigers.

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49.

Verlander gave up just one unearned run on four hits and no walks while striking out nine batters.

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50.

Verlander pitched five innings, giving up two runs on three hits and two walks while striking out two.

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51.

Verlander was among the best starters in the majors after the 2016 All-Star Break.

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52.

Verlander joined Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens as the only three American League pitchers in history to strike out 250 or more batters in a season after turning 33 years old.

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53.

Verlander won his third Tiger of the Year award, as awarded by the Detroit Chapter of the BBWAA.

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54.

Verlander received 14 first-place votes, to Porcello's eight first-place votes, but Verlander was left off two ballots.

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55.

Verlander won all five of his regular season starts with Houston, posting a 1.

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56.

Verlander hit triple digits on the radar gun in 2017 for the first time since his 2013 season.

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57.

Verlander won two games in the Astros' 3-games-to-1 ALDS triumph over the Boston Red Sox.

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58.

Verlander received a no-decision in Game 2 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the third time he participated in a World Series.

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59.

Unlike in previous seasons, Verlander started masterfully in 2018, leading an Astros rotation that began the season as the most dominant in the major leagues.

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60.

Verlander was second among active leaders in strikeouts behind CC Sabathia.

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61.

Verlander started and ended the month by dominating the Yankees—the only lineup in baseball with an OPS over.

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62.

However, Verlander made his scheduled start on the Sunday before the All-Star Game, and did not pitch in the game.

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63.

Verlander struck out 10 Tigers batters, giving him 258 strikeouts this season.

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64.

Verlander was given many standing ovations during his outing, and Comerica Park played a tribute video showing highlights of his 13 seasons as a Tiger.

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65.

Verlander struck out 11 in six innings while only giving up one hit, stretching his career high to 280 strikeouts.

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66.

Verlander posted his lowest ERA since his American League MVP and Cy Young Award-winning 2011 season and led the AL in strikeouts for the fifth time in his career.

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67.

Verlander finished the season with four straight games in which he struck out 10+ batters, giving him a career-best 13 games this season with double-digit strikeouts.

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68.

Verlander started and won Game 1 of the ALCS in Fenway Park, allowing two runs and two hits in six innings pitched.

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69.

Verlander lost Game 5 of the ALCS with his team down three games to one, surrendering four runs in six innings.

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70.

Verlander was named to the American League All-Star team for the eighth time in his career.

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71.

Verlander pitched one inning and retired all three batters he faced, two on strikeouts.

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72.

Verlander joined Nolan Ryan, Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens, Tom Seaver, Pedro Martinez, and Bob Gibson as the only pitchers with nine or more seasons of 200+ strikeouts.

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73.

Verlander is the only pitcher other than Mike Mussina in 1998 known to have pitched a complete game loss without ever throwing a pitch with a runner on base.

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74.

Verlander had 11 strikeouts in the game, the seventh straight game in which he recorded double-digit strikeouts.

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75.

Verlander allowed one base-runner, a walk to Cavan Biggio in the first inning, and struck out 14 batters.

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76.

Verlander is the sixth pitcher ever to throw three or more no-hitters in their career.

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77.

Verlander finished first in MLB in innings pitched and games started for the fourth time in his career, first in wins for the third time in his career, and first in WHIP for the third time in his career.

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78.

On September 19, Verlander confirmed via his Instagram account that he would undergo Tommy John surgery and would miss the remainder of the 2020 season plus all of the 2021 season, which kept him sidelined through the end of his contract extension with the Astros.

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79.

Verlander finished the game with eight innings pitched and five strikeouts, allowing the one hit for a game score of 83 and lowering his ERA to 1.

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80.

Verlander earned his ninth career selection to the All-Star Game, which took place at Dodger Stadium.

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81.

In doing so, Verlander passed Pedro Martinez on the all-time strikeout list and overtook Scherzer again as the active career leader in strikeouts.

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82.

Verlander walked one and struck out nine to extend their winning streak to six games.

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83.

Verlander passed Ferguson Jenkins and Scherzer again for 12th place on the all-time strikeout list and tied Jim Deshaies for an Astros franchise record of 8 consecutive strikeouts in the game.

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84.

Verlander won his first ERA title since his 2011 MVP campaign, a career-best, and represented the lowest-qualified figure over a non-shortened season in the AL since Pedro Martinez' 1.

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85.

Verlander often uses his four-seam fastball up in the zone to hitters.

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86.

Verlander intentionally uses this pitch up in the zone at times to freeze hitters or throw off their timing.

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87.

Verlander's changeup has been used almost exclusively against left-handed batters in recent years, and its usage has dropped considerably.

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88.

Verlander is known for his unusual ability to "add" and "subtract" from his fastball velocity at any point in the game, giving him the ability to throw it in the upper 90s even in the late innings of games.

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89.

Since 2008, Verlander has thrown pitches of over 100+ mph in the 8th inning or later 44 times, 39 more times than James Paxton who is second on the list.

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90.

Verlander is considered to be a higher-than-average fly ball pitcher.

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91.

Verlander has finished in the Top 10 in innings pitched 9 times and has the most 200+ innings pitched seasons of any current player with 11.

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92.

Verlander is a five-time American League strikeout champion, and led all of major league baseball in three of those five seasons .

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93.

In 2016, Verlander started the "Wins For Warriors Foundation" for veterans of the United States Military.

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94.

Verlander has supported various local Detroit charities for the impoverished as well as helping out with national efforts such as the Red Cross.

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95.

Verlander started dating model-actress Kate Upton in early 2014, and in 2016 the couple got engaged.

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