Justin Verlander's Success and Achievements in Timeline
A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of Justin Verlander.
Justin Verlander is a highly decorated American professional baseball pitcher currently playing for the Detroit Tigers. He's celebrated as one of baseball's all-time greats, boasting three Cy Young Awards, an American League MVP Award, and two World Series championships with the Houston Astros. His career also includes stints with the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants. Verlander's exceptional talent and achievements have solidified his place among the most accomplished pitchers in MLB history.
1905: Scoreless Innings Record
Justin Verlander surpassed Christy Mathewson's 28 scoreless innings against the Philadelphia Athletics from 1905 to 1911, achieving a new major league record for a pitcher versus one team with 30 consecutive scoreless innings in the postseason against the Athletics.
1911: Scoreless Innings Record
Justin Verlander surpassed Christy Mathewson's 28 scoreless innings against the Philadelphia Athletics from 1905 to 1911, achieving a new major league record for a pitcher versus one team with 30 consecutive scoreless innings in the postseason against the Athletics.
1924: Triple Crown Pitchers in Both Leagues
In 2011, Los Angeles Dodgers left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw had clinched the National League (NL) Triple Crown earlier in the week, making it the first season since 1924 featuring a Triple Crown pitcher in both leagues.
1944: Hal Newhouser won the AL MVP Award
Hal Newhouser won the AL MVP Award in 1944.
1945: Hal Newhouser won the AL MVP Award
Hal Newhouser won the AL MVP Award in 1945.
1965: Strikeout Feat
Justin Verlander matched Sandy Koufax's feat in Games 5 and 7 of the 1965 World Series as the second pitcher in Major League history with ten or more strikeouts and no runs allowed in back-to-back postseason games.
1968: Fourth Tigers Pitcher to win the AL MVP Award.
In 2011, Justin Verlander became the fourth Tigers pitcher to win the AL MVP Award in franchise history, joining Denny McLain (1968), Hal Newhouser (1944, 1945), and Willie Hernández (1984).
1968: Strikeout-to-Walk Ratio
In 2016, Justin Verlander's 4.46 strikeout-to-walk ratio was a career-best and a Tiger record for a season, eclipsing the 4.44 mark set by Denny McLain in the 1968 season.
1970: Franchise Record
On April 4, 2017, Justin Verlander tied a franchise record for the most strikeouts on Opening Day with ten, becoming the first Tigers player to do so since Mickey Lolich in 1970.
1971: Most Strikeouts by a Tiger Since 1971
In 2009, Justin Verlander's 269 strikeouts were the most by a Tiger since Mickey Lolich's 308 in 1971.
1973: AL Player of the Week award established
For the week of September 25 to October 1, Justin Verlander was awarded his 10th career AL Player of the Week award. Since the award was established in 1973, Verlander became the fourth pitcher to win as many as 10 times.
1984: Willie Hernández won the AL MVP Award
Willie Hernández won the AL MVP Award in 1984.
September 16, 1985: Mike Moore Feat
September 16, 1985 was the last time the feat of loading the bases with nobody out in the ninth inning or later and getting out of it without allowing a run occurred, by then-Mariners hurler Mike Moore.
1986: Tied Jim Deshaies for Astros franchise record
In 1986, Jim Deshaies achieved a franchise record for the Houston Astros, recording eight consecutive strikeouts in a game, a feat that Justin Verlander later tied.
1986: First Starting Pitcher to Win MVP Since Roger Clemens
In 2011, Justin Verlander became the first starting pitcher to win an AL MVP Award since Roger Clemens in 1986.
1991: First Tiger Since Bill Gullickson to Win 20 Games
On August 27, 2011, a victory made Justin Verlander the first Tiger since Bill Gullickson in 1991 to win 20 games.
1992: First Pitcher to Claim AL MVP Award since Dennis Eckersley
In 2011, Justin Verlander became the first pitcher to claim an AL MVP Award since Dennis Eckersley in 1992.
2000: ERA Title
In 2000, Pedro Martinez's 1.74 mark set a record for lowest qualifying ERA over a non-shortened season in the AL.
May 17, 2002: Struck out 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.
2002: Strikeout Feat
In 2002, Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling were the last teammates before Verlander and Cole to each strike out 300+ batters in the same season.
2002: First Major League Pitcher Since Curt Schilling to Reach 20 Wins Before End of August
On August 27, 2011, a victory made Justin Verlander the first Major League pitcher since Curt Schilling in 2002 to reach 20 wins before the end of August.
2003: Pan American Games Silver Medal
In 2003, Justin Verlander helped lead the United States national team to a silver medal at the Pan American Games.
2003: School Single-Season Strikeout Record
In 2003, Justin Verlander set a school single-season record by recording 139 strikeouts at Old Dominion University.
2004: CAA Strikeout Record
In 2004, Justin Verlander broke his own record and established a new Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) record with 151 strikeouts.
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: Multiple Fastballs Over 100 mph
On July 4, 2006, Justin Verlander, Joel Zumaya, and Fernando Rodney each threw multiple fastballs over 100 mph (160 km/h). It was the first time in MLB history that three pitchers on the same team had done so during a game at McAfee Coliseum in Oakland, California.
2006: AL Rookie of the Year
In 2006, Justin Verlander was named the AL Rookie of the Year.
2006: Pitch Count
Since his 2006 rookie season, Justin Verlander has thrown more pitches than any other pitcher, with 32,535 pitches in the regular season and 1,688 in the postseason as of 2015.
2007: No-Hitter Against the Brewers
In 2007, Justin Verlander accumulated 18 wins and on June 12, recorded a no-hitter against the Milwaukee Brewers, striking out twelve and walking four while throwing a fastball 102 mph (164 km/h).
2007: First No-Hitter at Comerica Park
In 2007, Justin Verlander pitched the first no-hitter at Comerica Park.
August 22, 2008: Randy Johnson's Oldest Pitcher Record
As of August 22, 2008, Randy Johnson held the record as the oldest pitcher (44 years, 347 days) with 10+ strikeouts in a game.
2008: Innings Pitched
In 2013, Justin Verlander's 218+1⁄3 innings pitched were the lowest total since his 2008 season.
July 24, 2009: Loaded Bases with Nobody Out in the Ninth Inning
On July 24, 2009, Justin Verlander became the first Major League starter in 24 years to load the bases with nobody out in the ninth inning or later and get out of it without allowing a run.
2009: Led AL in Wins and Strikeouts
In 2009, Justin Verlander led the American League (AL) in wins and strikeouts for the first time.
2009: Second-Best Strikeout Rate
In 2016, Justin Verlander's strikeout rate of 10.0 per 9 IP was the second-best of his career, trailing only the 10.1/9 rate posted in 2009.
2009: Finished Season with 19-9 Record
Justin Verlander finished the 2009 season with a 19-9 record, an ERA of 3.45 and an MLB-leading 269 strikeouts. Verlander 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: Most Successful Season
In 2011, Justin Verlander had his most successful season, pitching his second career no-hitter and 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 Recognition in 2011
In 2011, Justin 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. Verlander was also named the cover athlete of "Major League Baseball 2K12".
2011: AL Cy Young and MVP Awards
In 2011, Justin Verlander won both the AL Cy Young Award and the AL MVP Award. He unanimously won the 2011 AL Cy Young Award and also won the AL MVP.
2011: Verlander won his first ERA title
In 2011, Justin Verlander won his first ERA title since his 2011 MVP campaign.
2011: Won the Triple Crown of Pitching
In 2011, Justin Verlander won the Triple Crown of pitching in the AL, leading the league in wins (24), strikeouts (250) and ERA (2.40).
May 18, 2012: Complete-Game One-Hitter
On May 18, 2012, Justin Verlander took a no-hitter into the ninth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates before giving up a one-out single in a 6–0 victory. It was his first career complete-game one-hitter.
2012: ALCS Appearance
In 2012, Justin Verlander made his only appearance in the ALCS in Game 3 against the New York Yankees, earning a 2–1 win after pitching eight innings and allowing only one run. This extended his consecutive scoreless postseason innings to 24.
2012: World Series Game 1
In 2012, Justin Verlander pitched Game 1 of the World Series against the San Francisco Giants, giving up five earned runs in four innings, and the Tigers were swept in the Series.
2012: All-Star Game and Season Performance
In 2012, Justin Verlander was named to the American League All-Star team as the starting pitcher. At the All-Star break, he had a 9–5 record and a 2.58 ERA. He finished the 2012 regular season with a 17–8 record, leading the AL in innings pitched and strikeouts, and ranking second in ERA.
2013: Verlander tied postseason record in ALCS
During Game 3 of the 2013 ALCS, Justin Verlander achieved a postseason record-tying six consecutive hitter strikeouts, a feat he repeated in the 2022 ALCS.
2013: Verlander formed Wins for Warriors Foundation and received Bob Feller Act of Valor Award
In 2013, Justin Verlander formed the Wins for Warriors Foundation for veterans of the United States Military, donating over $1 million to the organization. He was also honored as one of the inaugural recipients of the Bob Feller Act of Valor Award.
2013: All-Star Selection
In 2013, Justin Verlander was selected as a reserve pitcher for the American League All-Star team, marking his sixth All-Star selection. However, he was unavailable for the game due to starting a game on July 14. Entering the All-Star break, Verlander had a 10–6 record and a 3.50 ERA.
2013: ALCS Game 3
In 2013, during Game 3 of the ALCS against the Boston Red Sox, Justin Verlander threw 6+1⁄3 scoreless innings (running his 2013 postseason scoreless streak to 21+1⁄3 innings) before allowing a solo home run. Despite striking out ten batters in eight innings, Verlander lost a 1–0 decision.
2013: Postseason Performance
In the 2013 postseason, Justin Verlander had a 1–1 record with a 0.39 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 23 innings, although the Red Sox eliminated the Tigers in six ALCS games.
February 2014: Training Camp Recovery
After undergoing core muscle surgery in January, Justin Verlander recovered in time for pitchers and catchers to report to training camp in February 2014.
2014: Improved Second Half of Season
In 2014, Justin Verlander improved his performance in the second half of the season, lowering his ERA and WHIP. He finished with a 15–12 record.
2014: AL Central Division Championship
In 2014, Justin Verlander was a key figure in the Detroit Tigers winning their fourth consecutive AL Central division championship.
2015: Near No-Hitter
On August 26, 2015, Justin Verlander came within three outs of his third career no-hitter before allowing a double to Chris Iannetta. He finished the game with one hit, two walks, and nine strikeouts in a 5–0 victory. Verlander finished 2015 with a 5–8 record, a 3.38 ERA and 1.088 WHIP.
2016: Strikeout Milestones
In 2016, Justin Verlander recorded his 1,981st strikeout in his Tiger career, surpassing Jack Morris for second place on the list of all-time Tiger strikeout leaders. He also recorded his 2,000th career strikeout, becoming just the second Tigers pitcher to reach the milestone. Going into the 2016 All-Star break with an 8–6 record.
2016: AL Pitcher of the Month and Performance
In 2016, Justin Verlander was named the American League Pitcher of the Month for July, going 4–0 with a 1.69 ERA and 48 strikeouts. On September 27, Verlander struck out 12 Cleveland Indians batters to give him a career-high eight games this season in which he totaled 10 or more strikeouts.
2016: Season Stats and Achievements
Justin Verlander finished the 2016 season with a 16–9 record and led the American League with 254 strikeouts, for the fourth time in his career. His 4.46 strikeout-to-walk ratio was a career-best and a Tiger record for a season, eclipsing the 4.44 mark set by Denny McLain in the 1968 season.
April 4, 2017: Opening Day Strikeouts
On April 4, 2017, Justin Verlander tied a franchise record for the most strikeouts on Opening Day with ten, becoming the first Tigers player to do so since Mickey Lolich in 1970.
2017: Strikeout Record
In 2017, Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole became the first teammates to strike out at least 250 batters in the same season since Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling in 2002.
2017: Traded to Astros and World Series Win
In 2017, Justin Verlander was traded to the Houston Astros, went undefeated in his first five starts, was named AL Championship Series MVP, and co-won the Babe Ruth Award as the Astros won the World Series.
2018: 200th Career Win
In 2018, Justin Verlander earned his 200th career win.
2019: Third No-Hitter and Second Cy Young Award
In 2019, Justin Verlander became the sixth pitcher in MLB history to throw three career no-hitters, had his first career 300-strikeout season, and won his second Cy Young award while leading the Astros to their second pennant.
2020: ERA Title
In 2020, Justin Verlander's ERA title was among the lowest qualifying ERA over a non-shortened season in the AL (excluding 2020) since Pedro Martinez's 1.74 mark in 2000.
August 23, 2022: Verlander passes Pedro Martínez on all-time strikeout list
On August 23, 2022, Justin Verlander threw six hitless innings with ten strikeouts in a win against the Minnesota Twins. With this performance, Verlander surpassed Pedro Martínez on the all-time strikeout list and regained the active career lead in strikeouts from Max Scherzer.
2022: Verlander concludes 2022 campaign
In 2022, Justin Verlander concluded his season with an 18–4 record, a 1.75 ERA, and 185 strikeouts across 175 innings. He led the Major Leagues in ERA, WHIP (0.829), and BAA (.186), and the American League in wins. His ERA was the lowest for a pitcher over 39 with at least 25 starts.
2022: Verlander won his first World Series
In the 2022 World Series, Justin Verlander allowed five earned runs in Game 1, giving him a career 6.07 ERA in World Series games. Later, in Game 5, he allowed one earned run over five innings and struck out six, securing his first career World Series win as the Astros won the series, giving Verlander his second World Series ring.
May 25, 2024: Verlander passed Greg Maddux for 10th on the all-time strikeout list
On May 25, 2024, Justin Verlander passed Greg Maddux for 10th on the all-time strikeout list. This victory was also the 260th of Verlander's career, the most of any pitcher who debuted in the 21st century.
2024: Verlander started the season on the injured list and passed Phil Niekro for 12th on all-time strikeout list
Justin Verlander started the 2024 season on the 15-day injured list due to shoulder inflammation during spring training. On his season debut on April 19, he passed Phil Niekro for 12th on the all-time strikeout list with his 3,343rd career strikeout.
September 2025: MLB Active Leader
As of September 2025, Justin Verlander is MLB's active leader in career wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched and is the oldest active player in Major League Baseball.
2025: Most Recent 250 Innings Pitched
As of 2025, Justin Verlander remains the most recent pitcher to have pitched 250 innings in one season, which he accomplished in 2011.
2025: Verlander career strikeouts
Through the 2025 season, Justin Verlander ranked eighth all-time in career strikeouts, with over 3,500 batters fanned.
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