Justin Verlander is a Freak of Nature
I don’t think anyone expected Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander to have the season he is currently having. Not only is it crazy, but he is quite literally the best pitcher in baseball by a wide margin. Let’s not forget he’s also 39 years old.
As of Aug. 30, the righthander leads the Majors in earned run average at 1.87, wins with 16, ERA+ at 207, and WHIP with 0.855. His 1.87 ERA is a career low. Even if he retired before this year, he still would have enough to be a surefire Hall of Famer — Verlander is just that good.
Many did think that he would retire after the 2020 season. Verlander underwent Tommy John surgery sidelining him through the entirety of the 2021 season. At 38, with all that he’s accomplished, it was right to think his career was over.
I guess he did have optimism. After all, Verlander did win the American League Cy Young Award in 2019. He does have that fighting spirit in him.
His revitalization upon moving to Houston is unprecedented, especially with his downward years in Detroit. Since joining the Astros, the righthander is 54-18 with a 2.57 ERA — and that’s from ages 35-39.
Verlander is still able to throw a ball at speeds over 100 miles per hour, doing so with exceptional spin sometimes exceeding 2500 revolutions per minute. If you’re a batter, it’s absolutely unhittable.
The Manakin, Virginia, native is second behind Max Scherzer in current strikeout leaders with 3,167. That puts him 14th all-time. It will be interesting to see what he does beyond the 2022 season. It genuinely seems as if he is having the time of his life, much like David Ortiz in his final season.
Verlander may be seeking that second championship with Houston after 2017. The team currently holds the best record in the American League at 82-47. Verlander is that veteran stud who has the capacity to bring them there perhaps.
SHOP for Vendetta Merch!
SUBSCRIBE to the Vendetta YouTube Channel!
SUPPORT Vendetta on Patreon!
