This is nothing new. Verlander threw a perfect game earlier this year against the Blue Jays. On Tuesday, he went 7 1/3 without allowing a hit, before finishing with two hits allowed, one walk, one hit batter, and 12 strikeouts in a complete game shutout. In the month of June, Verlander’s stats are just insane. He’s started three games so far and has pitched 25 innings. In those 25 innings, he’s allowed 14 hits, three earned runs, has walked three, and has struck out 29.
His 105 strikeouts are third in baseball, behind Phillies teammates Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee. His 0.89 WHIP is the best mark in baseball. 13 of his 15 starts are of the quality variety, a total matched by no one in either league. The .185 batting average against he’s allowed is the best in baseball. He’s pitched at least six innings in every one of his starts this season. Pretty much, he’s given the Tigers a capable chance of winning every time he’s stepped onto the mound this season.
Is Verlander going to be the choice to start the All-Star Game for the American League? I’d say that there are really four options at this point in time: Verlander, Josh Beckett of the Red Sox, and Angels teammates Dan Haren and Jered Weaver. Beckett has the lowest ERA, but also the fewest innings pitched and strikeouts, and the most walks. Weaver and Haren both have fantastic strikeout to walk ratios, but have not so sexy win/loss records, which is something that is still looked at positively by baseball managers. That brings us to Verlander, who has the best of all worlds: a great ERA, a good win/loss record, and a great strikeout to walk ratio. Combine that with his no hitter from earlier in the year, and the performance of late by the Tigers, taking control of the AL Central, and you’re looking at the guy who I think is going to be sent out to the mound on Chase Field in the bottom of the first inning next month.
Then again, he could have a couple of bad starts in a row. But the way this season is going, I doubt it.
