Former Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander established himself as one of baseball’s top pitchers throughout his career in the Motor City, and he continues to hold a special place in the hearts of Motor City fans everywhere.
After his 2017 trade to the Houston Astros that saw him earn his first career World Series victory, he continued his dominance on the mound. In 2019, with 21 wins and his 2.58 ERA, he earned another Cy Young Award/ His 34 starts were tied for the most in baseball, and he also finished with 223 innings played.
Ahead of today’s Tigers game against the Astros, Verlander reflected back on the 11 year anniversary of his 2nd career no-hitter, tossed on this day in 2011 against the Toronto Blue Jays.
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“I’ve learned a lot about my body and what I can do to prepare and maintain, I maintain my health,” he said. “I hope when I look back, I look back at these moments thankfully, because what I learned didn’t shorten my career – it extended my career.”
Of course, Verlander has plied his trade under the likes of both Jim Leyland and Dusty Baker, two of the all-time great baseball managers.
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“It’s hard to compare, because I was a kid when Leyland was managing, and I have different perspective now,” he said. “One thing I notice with both those guys is that their baseball instincts are incredible.”
Meanwhile, Verlander continues to marvel at his former teammate Miguel Cabrera‘s accomplishments, having recently reached the milestones of 500 career home runs as well as 3,000 career hits.
“I mean, incredible,” Verlander said of Cabrera. “I’ve kept in touch with Miguel, so I’m always reaching out to him and congratulating him on all the milestones he keeps checking off. Just incredible to see what he’s been able to do, and I know it hasn’t been a great few years to be a Tigers fan back at home, but to see what he’s been able to accomplish, it’s mind blowing in today’s game to have someone like him go over 3,000 hits. We can all remember what a great hitter he was, and he never ceases to amaze.”
– – Quotes via Bally Sports Detroit Link – –
