Justin Verlander's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of Justin Verlander.

Justin Verlander is a professional baseball pitcher currently playing for the San Francisco Giants. Widely regarded as one of baseball's all-time greats, he previously played for the Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, and New York Mets. Verlander's distinguished career includes three Cy Young Awards and an American League MVP Award, solidifying his place as an iconic figure in the sport.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

1905: Reference to Christy Mathewson's Record

In 2013, Justin Verlander surpassed Christy Mathewson's record of 28 scoreless innings against the Philadelphia Athletics from 1905 to 1911 by throwing 30 consecutive scoreless innings in the postseason against the Athletics.

1911: Reference to Christy Mathewson's Record

1965: Reference to Sandy Koufax's Record

In 2013, Justin Verlander joined Sandy Koufax as the second pitcher in Major League history with ten or more strikeouts and no runs allowed in back-to-back postseason games. Sandy Koufax achieved this feat in Games 5 and 7 of the 1965 World Series.

1968: Strikeout-to-Walk Ratio

In 2016, Justin Verlander set a Tiger record for a season with a 4.46 strikeout-to-walk ratio, eclipsing the 4.44 mark set by Denny McLain in the 1968 season.

1970: Previous Franchise Record

On April 4, 2017, Justin Verlander became the first Tigers player to record ten strikeouts on Opening Day since Mickey Lolich in 1970, tying the franchise record.

1973: Establishment of AL Player of the Week award

In 1973, the AL Player of the Week award was established. Justin Verlander was later awarded his 10th career AL Player of the Week award for the week of September 25 – October 1, 2023, becoming the fourth pitcher to win as many as 10 times since the award was established.

May 17, 2002: Struck Out a Then-School Record 17 Batters

On May 17, 2002, Justin Verlander struck out a then-school record 17 batters against James Madison while playing for Old Dominion University.

2002: CAA Rookie of the Year

In 2002, Justin Verlander was named CAA Rookie of the Year.

2003: All-CAA Honors

In 2003, Justin Verlander earned All-CAA honors.

2003: School Single-Season Record with 139 Strikeouts

In 2003, Justin Verlander set a school single-season record by recording 139 strikeouts while playing for Old Dominion University.

2003: Verlander wins silver medal at Pan American Games

In 2003, as a college sophomore, Justin Verlander pitched for the United States national baseball team and helped the US win a silver medal in the Pan American Games in Santo Domingo.

2004: CAA Record with 151 Strikeouts

In 2004, Justin Verlander broke his own record and established a new Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) record with 151 strikeouts while playing for Old Dominion University.

2004: ODU Male Athlete of the Year

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

July 4, 2006: Three Tigers Pitchers Throw 100+ mph Fastballs

On July 4, 2006, Justin Verlander, Joel Zumaya, and Fernando Rodney each threw multiple fastballs over 100 mph during a game against Oakland, marking the first time in MLB history that three pitchers on the same team had done so.

2006: AL Pennant

In 2006, Justin Verlander played a key role in the Detroit Tigers winning the AL Pennant.

2006: AL Rookie of the Year

In 2006, Justin Verlander was named AL Rookie of the Year.

2007: First No-Hitter at Comerica Park

In 2007, Justin Verlander pitched the first no-hitter at Comerica Park versus the Milwaukee Brewers.

2009: Led MLB in Strikeouts

In 2009, Justin Verlander finished the season with a 19–9 record, an ERA of 3.45 and an MLB-leading 269 strikeouts and finished third in the AL Cy Young Award voting.

April 22, 2011: 1,000th Career Strikeout

On April 22, 2011, Justin Verlander recorded his 1,000th career strikeout in a 9–3 win over the White Sox, becoming the 15th Tiger to do so.

2011: Verlander's MVP campaign

In 2011, Justin Verlander had an MVP campaign. He would later win his first ERA title since then in 2022.

2011: Most Successful Season

In 2011, Justin Verlander produced his most successful season, including his second career no-hitter versus the Toronto Blue Jays, winning the Pitching Triple Crown, the AL Cy Young Award unanimously, the AL MVP Award, and the Sporting News Player of the Year Award.

2011: Awards and Video Game Cover

In 2011, Justin Verlander received multiple awards and was named the cover athlete of Major League Baseball 2K12.

2011: AL Central Division Championship

In 2011, Justin Verlander was a key figure in the Detroit Tigers winning one of four consecutive AL Central division championships (2011–2014).

2011: AL Cy Young and MVP Awards

In 2011, Justin Verlander won both the AL Cy Young Award and the AL MVP Award. He was the first pitcher to claim an AL MVP Award since Dennis Eckersley in 1992.

2011: Won Triple Crown of Pitching

In 2011, Justin Verlander won the Triple Crown of pitching in the AL, leading the league in wins, strikeouts, and ERA.

2012: Cy Young Award Runner-Up

Following the 2016 season, Justin Verlander was a finalist for the American League Cy Young Award. He finished second in the voting to Rick Porcello by a narrow margin, receiving 14 first-place votes but being left off two ballots. This was the second-closest vote in history, compared to the 2012 AL Cy Young race Verlander lost.

2013: Bob Feller Act of Valor Award

In 2013, Justin Verlander was recognized as one of the first recipients of the Bob Feller Act of Valor Award for his contributions to military veterans.

2013: All-Star Selection

In 2013, Justin Verlander was selected as a reserve pitcher for the American League All-Star team by his manager, Jim Leyland. This was his sixth All-Star selection. However, due to starting a game on July 14 for the Tigers, he was unavailable for the July 16 All-Star game. Entering the All-Star break, he had a 10–6 record, 125 strikeouts, and a 3.50 ERA.

2013: Verlander's record-tying achievement in the 2013 ALCS

In Game 3 of the 2013 ALCS, Justin Verlander struck out six consecutive hitters, matching a postseason record. He later repeated this achievement in Game 1 of the 2022 ALCS.

February 2014: Recovery and Training Camp

In February 2014, Justin Verlander recovered in time for pitchers and catchers to report to training camp after undergoing core muscle surgery in January.

2014: AL Central Division Championship

In 2014, Justin Verlander was a key figure in the Detroit Tigers winning one of four consecutive AL Central division championships (2011–2014).

2014: Second Half Improvement

In the second half of 2014, Justin Verlander's season ERA and WHIP improved to 4.54 and 1.398, respectively. He finished with a 15–12 record, winning his final three decisions, and the Tigers won 6 of his last 8 starts. However, his strikeout rate remained low, finishing with 159 strikeouts and a 6.9 K/9 IP rate, both the lowest since his 2006 rookie season.

2016: Strikeout Milestones and All-Star Break

In 2016, Justin Verlander achieved significant strikeout milestones, surpassing Jack Morris for second place on the Tigers' all-time strikeout list on May 8 with his 1,981st strikeout. On May 18, he recorded his 2,000th career strikeout. By the All-Star break, Verlander had an 8–6 record, a 4.07 ERA, and 120 strikeouts.

2016: Season Achievements

Justin Verlander finished the 2016 season with a 16–9 record and led the American League with 254 strikeouts, marking the fourth time in his career he achieved this. He also led the AL with a 1.00 WHIP, and his 3.04 ERA ranked second. His strikeout rate of 10.0 per 9 IP was the second-best of his career, and his 4.46 strikeout-to-walk ratio was a career-best and a Tiger record.

2016: AL Pitcher of the Month for July

Justin Verlander was named the American League Pitcher of the Month for July 2016. During that month, he had a 4-0 record, a 1.69 ERA, and 48 strikeouts in 42+2⁄3 innings, holding opposing hitters to a .171 average.

April 4, 2017: Franchise Record for Strikeouts on Opening Day

On April 4, 2017, Justin Verlander tied a franchise record for the most strikeouts on Opening Day with ten.

November 4, 2017: Marriage to Kate Upton

On November 4, 2017, Justin Verlander married Kate Upton in a medieval church in Tuscany, Italy, two days after winning the World Series with the Astros.

2017: Traded to Astros and World Series Win

Before the 2017 trade deadline, the Tigers traded Justin Verlander to the Houston Astros. He was named AL Championship Series MVP, and was co-winner of the Babe Ruth Award as the Astros won the 2017 World Series.

2018: 200 Career Wins

In 2018, Justin Verlander became the 114th pitcher in major league history to earn 200 career wins, also becoming the 20th-fastest to reach the milestone (427 starts).

November 12, 2019: Verlander wins second Cy Young Award

On November 12, 2019, Justin Verlander won his second Cy Young Award, receiving 171 points and 17 first-place votes, topping teammate Gerrit Cole. This was also the first time Verlander received the award while playing for the Houston Astros.

2019: Third No-Hitter and 3,000 Strikeouts

In 2019, Justin Verlander became the sixth pitcher in MLB history to throw three career no-hitters, and the 18th to strike out 3,000 batters.

2019: First 300-Strikeout Season and Second Cy Young Award

In 2019, Justin 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.

August 23, 2022: Verlander passes Pedro Martínez on strikeout list

On August 23, 2022, Justin Verlander threw six hitless innings and struck out ten batters in a 4–2 win against the Minnesota Twins. In doing so, Verlander passed Pedro Martínez on the all-time strikeout list and overtook Max Scherzer again as the active career leader in strikeouts.

2022: Verlander's performance in the 2022 ALCS and World Series

During the 2022 ALCS, Justin Verlander struck out eleven over six innings in Game 1, setting a major league record for his eighth double-digit strikeout effort in the postseason. He then secured his first career World Series win in Game 5 against the Phillies, contributing to the Astros' victory in six games and earning his second World Series ring.

2022: Verlander Concludes 2022 Season

In 2022, Justin Verlander concluded his season with an 18–4 record, 1.75 ERA, and 185 strikeouts in 175 innings pitched. He led all the Major Leagues in ERA, WHIP (0.829), and BAA (.186) while leading the American League in wins.

2022: Second World Championship and Third Cy Young Award

In 2022, Justin Verlander returned from injury to win 18 games and lead the Astros to their second World championship. He received his third Cy Young Award that offseason.

May 10, 2023: Verlander defeats all 30 teams

On May 10, 2023, Justin Verlander struck out seven hitters over seven innings in a 2–1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds, becoming the 21st Major League pitcher to defeat all 30 teams.

July 30, 2023: Verlander earns his 250th major league win

On July 30, 2023, Justin Verlander achieved his 250th major league win, becoming the 49th pitcher to do so, in the Mets' 5–2 victory over the Washington Nationals.

May 25, 2024: Verlander passes Greg Maddux on all-time strikeout list

On May 25, 2024, Justin Verlander passed Greg Maddux for 10th on the all-time strikeout list, reaching 3,372 career strikeouts during a 6–3 victory over the Oakland Athletics. This victory also marked his 260th career win, the most of any pitcher who debuted in the 21st century.

2024: Verlander starts 2024 on injured list, debuts in April

Justin Verlander began the 2024 season on the 15-day injured list due to shoulder inflammation. He made his debut on April 19, 2024, helping the Astros win against the Washington Nationals and passing Phil Niekro for 12th on the all-time strikeout list.