124-578: Justin Brooks Verlander ( / ˈ v ɜːr l æ n d ɜːr / VUR -land-ur ; born February 20, 1983) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent . He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers , Houston Astros and New York Mets throughout a 19-season career. A three-time Cy Young Award winner as well as an AL MVP recipient, Verlander
248-639: A double play to end the bases-loaded threat and picking up another strikeout in a perfect sixth. Koufax's first start was on July 6, the second game of a doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates . He lasted only 4.2 innings, giving up eight walks. He did not start again for almost two months. On August 27, Koufax threw a two-hit, 7–0 complete game shutout against the Cincinnati Redlegs for his first major league win. He struck out 14 batters and allowed only two hits. His only other win in 1955
372-532: A pitching coach in the Dodgers' farm system; he resigned from the position in 1990 but continues to make informal appearances during spring training . From 2013 to 2015, Koufax worked in an executive position for the Dodgers, as special advisor to chairman Mark Walter . In 1999, he was named to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team . His number 32 was retired by the Dodgers in 1972 and he
496-448: A three-game playoff . With an overworked pitching staff, manager Alston asked Koufax if he could start the first game. Koufax obliged but, still being rusty, was knocked out in the second inning, after giving up home runs to Willie Mays and Jim Davenport . After winning the second game of the series, the Dodgers blew a 4–2 lead in the ninth inning of the deciding third game, losing the pennant. In 1963, Major League Baseball expanded
620-529: A $ 14,000 signing bonus – and not to officially sign until after the season ended, with Irving Koufax and owner Walter O'Malley making a handshake commitment. Returning to university, Koufax also had a tryout with the Milwaukee Braves after which general manager John Quinn made him a $ 30,000 offer. Having already committed to signing with the Dodgers, Koufax turned down the Braves' offer. He also turned down
744-533: A 13-inning contest against the Chicago Cubs for his 18th win of the year. He pitched a complete game, throwing 205 pitches, striking out fifteen batters. In 1962, the Dodgers moved from the Los Angeles Coliseum – a football stadium which had a 250-foot (75 m) left-field line and a 40-foot (10 m) tall screen – to Dodger Stadium . The new park was pitcher-friendly, with a large foul territory and
868-489: A 3.38 ERA and 1.088 WHIP. His walk rate dropped to 2.2 while his strikeout rate inched back up to 7.6. On May 8, 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 only trails Mickey Lolich who had 2,679 strikeouts as a Tiger. On May 18, Verlander fanned Eddie Rosario of the Twins for his 2,000th career strikeout, becoming just
992-517: A 3.63 ERA, striking out 124 batters in 186 innings. On July 4, 2006, at McAfee Coliseum in Oakland, California , 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. He allowed one stolen base in 2006 and picked off seven baserunners. In 2006, he became
1116-434: A 4.91 earned run average, 29 walks and 30 strikeouts. When Koufax allowed baserunners, he was rarely permitted to finish the inning. Teammate Joe Pignatano remarked, years later, that as soon as Koufax threw a couple of balls in a row, Walter Alston would signal for a replacement to start warming up in the bullpen. Notably, teammates Jackie Robinson and Roy Campanella both clashed with Alston on Koufax's usage, noting
1240-531: A 9–3 win over the White Sox , becoming the 15th Tiger to do so. On May 7, he recorded his second career no-hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays , throwing four strikeouts, walking one batter, and throwing at a maximum speed of 101 mph (163 km/h) on the radar gun. He carried a perfect game into the eighth inning before allowing a walk to J. P. Arencibia , who was the only Blue Jays batter to reach base in
1364-631: A May 11 game against the Cleveland Indians, Verlander recorded his 1,500th career strikeout. Verlander was selected as a reserve pitcher for the American League All-Star team by his manager, Jim Leyland who managed the 2013 AL team. It was Verlander's sixth All-Star selection, but due to him starting a game on July 14 for the Tigers, he was declared unavailable for the July 16 All-Star game. Entering
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#17328515717211488-502: A Rookie of the Year Award, and a Cy Young Award, the other being Don Newcombe ; unlike Newcombe, Verlander also has multiple of two of these awards. Verlander is currently the active leader in wins , strikeouts and innings pitched . Verlander played Little League at Tuckahoe Little League in Richmond, Virginia . Verlander's father Richard sent him to The Richmond Baseball Academy when he
1612-405: A ball, how to hold a runner on base, or even pitching signs, later saying, "The only signs I knew were one finger for fastball and two for a curve , and here there were five or six signs." His lack of minor league experience meant Koufax never fully mastered all aspects of the game and took a lot longer to develop as a pitcher. Having injured his ankle in the last week of spring training, Koufax
1736-552: A belated offer from the Pirates, promising him $ 5,000 more than what the Dodgers did. Koufax officially signed with his hometown team on December 14, 1954. At the time of Koufax's signing, the bonus rule implemented by Major League Baseball was still in effect, stipulating that if a major league team signed a player to a contract with a signing bonus in excess of $ 4,000 ($ 55,000 today), they were required to keep them on their 25-man active roster for two full seasons. In compliance with
1860-476: A double to Chris Iannetta , the first batter in the ninth inning. He finished the game with one hit, two walks, and nine strikeouts in a 5–0 victory over the Los Angeles Angels . This was his seventh career complete-game shutout and second career complete-game one-hitter. Verlander finished 2015 with a 5–8 record in 20 starts, but his other stats were a considerable improvement over the previous season. He had
1984-466: A few games before signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers at age 19. Due to the bonus rule he signed under, Koufax never pitched the minor leagues . His lack of pitching experience caused manager Walter Alston to distrust Koufax, who saw inconsistent playing time during his first six seasons. As a result, though he often showed flashes of brilliance, Koufax struggled early on. Frustrated with the way he
2108-593: A few local titles with the community center team. Attending Lafayette High School , Koufax would become the basketball team's captain in his senior year. That year, he ranked second in his division in scoring, averaging 16.5 points per game. He made newspaper headlines for the first time when, during a preseason exhibition game between the Lafayette basketball team and the New York Knicks , he dunked twice and showed up Knicks star Harry Gallatin . In 1951, Koufax joined
2232-478: A few times. He was also urged by Pat Auletta, the owner of a sporting goods store and founder of the Coney Island Sports League, to see Koufax pitch. Campanis arranged a tryout for him at Ebbets Field . With Dodgers manager Walter Alston and scouting director Fresco Thompson watching, Campanis assumed the hitter's stance while Koufax started throwing; he later said, "There are two times in my life
2356-574: A forgettable All-Star game, he pitched one inning and gave up five runs. Verlander finished the 2012 regular season with a 17–8 record. He ranked first in the American League in innings pitched ( 238 + 1 ⁄ 3 ), strikeouts (239) and complete games (six), while also ranking second in ERA (2.64). In the 2012 ALDS against the Oakland Athletics , Verlander started Game 1 and won a 3–1 decision. In
2480-568: A local youth baseball league known as the "Ice Cream League", playing for the Tomahawks. He started out as a left-handed catcher before moving to first base . He joined Lafayette's baseball team as a first baseman in his senior year at the urging of his friend Fred Wilpon . While with the high school team, he was spotted by Milt Laurie, a newspaper deliveryman and baseball coach who was the father of two Lafayette baseball players. Laurie noticed Koufax's strong throwing arm and recruited him to pitch for
2604-399: A no-hitter into the eighth inning. He pitched 7 + 1 ⁄ 3 innings until he gave up a base hit to Cleveland 's Orlando Cabrera . Verlander ended up with a complete-game shutout, allowing two hits. In his next start on June 19, he threw another complete game allowing only a solo home run to Ty Wigginton . On June 25, he recorded a career-high 14 strikeouts against Arizona . Verlander
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#17328515717212728-463: A pitch. A numbness soon developed in his left index finger and it slowly turned cold and pale. Due to his strong performance, Koufax ignored the condition, hoping it would clear up in due time. The condition worsened, however, with his whole hand turning numb by July. During a start against Cincinnati, his finger split open. A vascular specialist determined that Koufax had a crushed artery in his palm. Ten days of experimental medicine successfully reopened
2852-513: A point to report to spring training under his playing weight. During spring training, Dodger scout Kenny Myers discovered a hitch in Koufax's windup, where he would rear back so far he would lose sight of the target. As a result, Koufax tightened up his mechanics, believing that not only would it help better his control but would also help him disguise his pitches better. Additionally, Dodgers statistician Allan Roth helped Koufax tweak his game in
2976-570: A previous marriage. Shortly afterwards, the family moved to the Long Island suburb of Rockville Centre . They moved back to Brooklyn in June 1949, the day after Koufax graduated from ninth grade, settling in the neighborhood of Bensonhurst . As a youth, Koufax was better known for basketball than for baseball. He had started playing it at the Edith and Carl Marks Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst , winning
3100-501: A relatively poor hitting background. Koufax, whose numbers were hurt by the peculiar dimensions of the Coliseum, was an immediate beneficiary of the move. Subsequently, he recorded what would be his first great season, leading the NL in ERA and the majors in hits per nine innings , strikeouts per nine innings , and FIP. On April 24, Koufax tied his own record of 18 strikeouts in a 10–2 win over
3224-515: A scout for the Brooklyn Dodgers , sent the team a glowing report that was seemingly filed away and forgotten. Gene Bonnibeau, a scout for the New York Giants , learned of Koufax through a Cincinnati newspaper and invited him to try out at the Polo Grounds after his freshman year. The workout did not go well for the nervous Koufax who threw wildly over the catcher's head; he never heard back from
3348-574: A season after turning 33 years old. Verlander's 26 quality starts were tied for the AL lead (with former Tiger Rick Porcello ). He threw 3,668 pitches, more than any other major league pitcher. Following the season, Verlander was named a Gold Glove Award finalist at pitcher, along with R. A. Dickey and Dallas Keuchel . Verlander's five Defensive Runs Saved tied him for fourth among AL pitchers, as did his 29 assists . His 6.61 Wins Above Replacement (WAR) led all AL pitchers. Verlander won his third Tiger of
3472-466: A single working parent, he spent most of his childhood with his maternal grandparents and spent his summers at Camp Chi-Wan-Da, a Jewish summer camp in Ulster Park, New York , where his mother worked as a bookkeeper . Evelyn, a certified public accountant, remarried when her son was nine to Irving Koufax, an attorney, whose name Sandy took. Koufax also gained a stepsister, Edith, Irving's daughter from
3596-411: A solo home run to Mike Napoli in the seventh. Despite giving up only that one run and striking out ten batters in eight innings, Verlander lost a 1–0 decision. It was Verlander's sixth career postseason game with ten or more strikeouts, more than any other pitcher in MLB postseason history. The eventual World Series champ Red Sox eliminated the Tigers in six ALCS games. In the 2013 postseason, Verlander
3720-528: A tryout before the Pirates' front office. Upon seeing Koufax pitch in person, Rickey remarked, "This is the greatest arm I've ever seen." The Pirates, however, failed to offer Koufax a contract until after he was already committed to the Dodgers. Al Campanis , a Dodgers scout, heard about Koufax from sportswriter Jimmy Murphy of the Brooklyn Eagle who covered sandlot teams in Brooklyn and had seen him pitch
3844-614: A two-hit shutout win against the Houston Colt .45s , becoming the first NL pitcher and the second pitcher ever (after Lefty Grove ) to throw two immaculate innings. However, on April 23, he left a game against the Braves after throwing seven scoreless innings due to injuring the posterior capsule of his left shoulder. Koufax subsequently missed two weeks, returning on May 7 against the Cardinals . Koufax threw his second career no-hitter against
Justin Verlander - Misplaced Pages Continue
3968-652: Is considered one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history. Born in Manakin-Sabot, Virginia , Verlander attended Old Dominion University (ODU) and played college baseball for the Monarchs . He broke the Monarchs' and Colonial Athletic Association 's career records for strikeouts . At the 2003 Pan American Games , Verlander helped lead the United States national team to a silver medal . The Tigers selected Verlander with
4092-669: Is often applied as an umbrella term for all leagues — major and minor — under the authority of the Commissioner of Baseball . Operating outside the Minor League Baseball organization are many independent minor leagues such as the Atlantic League , American Association , Frontier League , and the feeder league to these the Empire Professional Baseball League . Japan has had professional baseball since
4216-609: Is one of four starting pitchers in Major League history to have multiple wins in elimination postseason games, joining Bob Gibson , Chris Carpenter , and Matt Cain . Verlander has thrown 30 consecutive scoreless innings in the postseason against the Athletics, a major league record for a pitcher versus one team surpassing Christy Mathewson 's 28 scoreless innings against the Philadelphia Athletics from 1905 to 1911. Verlander
4340-415: Is one of only four pitchers in Major League history to win multiple World Series championships, win multiple Cy Young Awards, throw multiple no-hitters, and earn multiple All-Star selections; the others are Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax , Tim Lincecum and former teammate Max Scherzer . Additionally, Verlander is one of only two pitchers to win the four major awards of a World Series championship, an MVP Award,
4464-558: Is the second pitcher in Major League history with ten or more strikeouts and no runs allowed in back-to-back postseason games, joining Sandy Koufax in Games 5 and 7 of the 1965 World Series . In Game 3 of the ALCS against the Boston Red Sox , Verlander threw 6 + 1 ⁄ 3 scoreless innings (running his 2013 postseason scoreless streak to 21 + 1 ⁄ 3 innings) before surrendering
4588-689: The 2012 ALCS in Game 3 against the New York Yankees . He earned a 2–1 win, blanking the Yankees hitters on two hits through eight innings before surrendering a leadoff home run in the ninth inning to Eduardo Núñez . Having given up one run in the first inning of Game 1 in the ALDS, and one run in the ninth inning of Game 3 in the ALCS, Verlander recorded 24 consecutive scoreless postseason innings in between. He pitched Game 1 of
4712-692: The 2012 World Series against the San Francisco Giants and gave up five earned runs in four innings pitched, including giving up two home runs to eventual World Series MVP Pablo Sandoval as the Tigers were swept in the Series. Verlander finished second to David Price of the Tampa Bay Rays in a close AL Cy Young Award race. Verlander collected 149 points (12 first-place votes) to Price's 153 points (13 first-place votes). Verlander won (tie with David Price) his second consecutive AL Sporting News Pitcher of
4836-565: The American League (founded in 1901). Historically, teams in one league never played teams in the other until the World Series , in which the champions of the two leagues played against each other. This changed in 1997 with the advent of interleague play . The Philadelphia Phillies , founded in 1883, are the oldest continuous same-name, same-city franchise in both Major League Baseball and all of American professional sports. In addition to
4960-511: The Chicago Cubs in Wrigley Field . On June 13, against the Braves at Milwaukee County Stadium , he hit his first career home run off future Hall of Famer Warren Spahn , providing the winning margin in a 2–1 victory. On June 30, Koufax threw his first career no-hitter against the expansion New York Mets ; it was also the first Dodgers no-hitter since their move to Los Angeles. In the first inning, he threw an immaculate inning , becoming
5084-492: The China National Baseball League , Israel Baseball League , and Baseball Philippines . During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, players of black African descent were barred from playing the major leagues , though several did manage to play by claiming to be Cubans or Native Americans . As a result, a number of parallel Negro leagues were formed. However, after Jackie Robinson began playing with
Justin Verlander - Misplaced Pages Continue
5208-705: The Colorado Rockies which was also his last game as a Tiger. Seconds before the waiver trade deadline on August 31, the Tigers sent Verlander to the Houston Astros for prospects Franklin Pérez , Jake Rogers , and Daz Cameron . Verlander won his Astros debut on September 5 against the Seattle Mariners , giving up one run and striking out seven over six innings. He started and won the AL West division-clinching game for
5332-599: The Coney Island Sports League's Parkviews. Koufax chose to attend the University of Cincinnati after becoming a walk-on for their freshman basketball team. Playing under coach Ed Jucker , he averaged 9.7 points per game. As a student, he was enrolled in a liberal arts major with the intention of transferring to the architectural school , and was a member of Pi Lambda Phi , a historically Jewish fraternity. One day, Koufax overheard Jucker, who also coached
5456-625: The Dodgers sent Koufax to Puerto Rico to play winter ball for the Criollos de Caguas . For the Criollos, Koufax compiled a record of 3–6 with a 4.35 earned run average and 76 strikeouts in 64.2 innings pitched. Two of his wins were shutouts , including a one-hitter and a two-hitter, with Roberto Clemente getting both hits against him in the latter, his last game in Puerto Rico before being released. Besides
5580-532: The Erie SeaWolves (AA), and also started two games for the Tigers in July. After posting a 9–2 record and a 1.67 ERA in 13 starts for Lakeland, Verlander joined the SeaWolves on June 20. Verlander made his MLB debut on July 4, 2005. He went 0–2 with a 7.15 ERA in his only two starts of the season. He made the 2006 Tigers roster out of spring training. In his first full Major League season, Verlander went 17–9 with
5704-435: The Milwaukee Braves , with the Dodgers trailing 7–1 in the fifth inning. Johnny Logan , the first batter Koufax faced, hit a bloop single. Eddie Mathews bunted back to the mound, and Koufax threw the ball into center field. He then walked Henry Aaron on four pitches to load the bases before striking out Bobby Thomson on a 3–2 fastball for his first career strikeout. Koufax ended up pitching two scoreless innings, inducing
5828-475: 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. Verlander also led the AL in innings pitched (251) and win-loss percentage (.828; sixth-best in Tigers history), while posting a Major League best 0.92 WHIP . As of 2024, Verlander remains the most recent pitcher to have pitched 250 innings in one season. Throughout
5952-478: The Old Dominion University baseball team for three years. On May 17, 2002, he struck out a then-school record 17 batters against James Madison. In 2003, he set a school single-season record by recording 139 strikeouts . In 2004, he broke his own record establishing a new Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) record with 151 strikeouts. Verlander completed his career as the all-time strikeout leader at ODU,
6076-420: The San Francisco Giants on May 11, besting Giants ace Juan Marichal . He carried a perfect game into the eighth inning against the powerful Giants lineup which included future Hall of Famers Willie Mays , Willie McCovey , and Orlando Cepeda . The perfect game ended when he walked catcher Ed Bailey on a full count. Koufax closed out the game after walking pinch-hitter McCovey on four pitches with two out in
6200-525: The San Francisco Giants , he broke Dizzy Dean 's NL single-game record of 17 strikeouts and tied Bob Feller 's Major League record of 18. That season, the Dodgers won a tight pennant race against the Giants and the Milwaukee Braves . They faced the Chicago White Sox in the World Series . In his first World Series appearance, Koufax pitched two perfect relief innings in Game 1, though they came after
6324-473: The strike zone to combat what they perceived as too much offense. Compared to the previous season, walks in the NL fell 13%, strikeouts increased 6%, the league batting average fell from .261 to .245, and runs scored declined 15%. Koufax, who had reduced his walks allowed per nine innings to 3.4 in 1961 and 2.8 in 1962, reduced it further to 1.7 in 1963, which ranked fifth in the league. On April 19, Koufax threw his second immaculate inning , this time in
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#17328515717216448-676: The 1930s. Nippon Professional Baseball consists of two leagues, the Central League and the Pacific League , each with six teams. South Korea has had professional baseball since 1982. There are 10 teams in KBO League . Taiwan has had professional baseball since the 1990s. The Chinese Professional Baseball League absorbed Taiwan Major League in 2003. There are currently 6 teams in the CPBL. Other Asian leagues include three now defunct leagues,
6572-453: The 2008 season with an 11–17 win-loss record and a 4.84 ERA. 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 when he pulled off the feat on July 24, 2009. Then-Mariners hurler Mike Moore was the last to do it, on September 16, 1985. He finished the 2009 season with a 19–9 record, an ERA of 3.45 and an MLB-leading 269 strikeouts,
6696-642: The 2010 season. This marked the fourth time in five years he has had double-digit wins before the All-Star break. On September 18, Verlander beat the Chicago White Sox throwing a complete game to earn his 17th win of the season. Verlander was the first pitcher to win 17 games in four of his first five seasons since Dwight Gooden . He finished the 2010 season with an 18–9 record and a 3.37 ERA while fanning 219 batters in 224 + 1 ⁄ 3 innings. On April 22, 2011, Verlander recorded his 1,000th career strikeout in
6820-426: The AL (minimum 28.0 innings pitched), Verlander finished July first in strikeouts, tied for first in innings pitched, third in ERA, and tied for third in wins. Verlander allowed just 26 hits in his 42 + 2 ⁄ 3 July innings and had a 0.891 WHIP. 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. Verlander
6944-731: The AL in wins and strikeouts, both for the first time. Verlander produced his most successful season in 2011, including his second career no-hitter versus the Toronto Blue Jays . By season's end, Verlander won the Pitching Triple Crown , the AL Cy Young Award unanimously, the AL Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award , and the Sporting News Player of the Year Award . In 2019, Verlander had his first career 300-strikeout season and won his second Cy Young award while leading
7068-466: 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, trailing only the 10.1/9 rate posted in 2009. 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 . Verlander joined Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens as the only three American League pitchers in history to strike out 250 or more batters in
7192-402: The All-Star break, Verlander had a 10–6 record, 125 strikeouts and a 3.50 ERA. Verlander finished the 2013 regular season with a 13–12 record, a 3.46 ERA, and 217 strikeouts. His 218 + 1 ⁄ 3 innings pitched were the lowest total since his 2008 season. In Game 2 of the 2013 ALDS , Verlander struck out eleven Oakland Athletics hitters in seven shutout innings. Verlander did not get
7316-417: The Astros before the 2017 trade deadline, and he went undefeated in his first five starts heading into the postseason. He was named ALCS MVP , and was co-winner of the Babe Ruth Award as the Astros won the 2017 World Series . In 2018, 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). In 2019, Verlander became
7440-539: The Astros on September 17, allowing one run and striking out ten Mariners batters over seven innings. He won all five of his regular season starts with Houston, posting a 1.06 ERA and 0.65 WHIP in those games. The Astros chose to skip Verlander's final scheduled start on Sunday, October 1 and have him start the first game of the ALDS. As a result, Verlander finished the 2017 regular season with a 15–8 record, 3.36 ERA, 1.175 WHIP, and 219 strikeouts in 206 innings. He threw 3,531 pitches, more than any other major league pitcher for
7564-408: The Astros to their second pennant in three seasons. He suffered an arm injury that required Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for 2020 and 2021. He returned in 2022 and proceeded to win 18 games with a sub-2.00 ERA on his way to leading the Astros to their second World championship. He was awarded the Cy Young in the off-season, making him the first Astro to win multiple Cy Young Awards. Verlander
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#17328515717217688-414: The CAA, and the Commonwealth of Virginia (Division I) history with 427 in 335 + 2 ⁄ 3 innings. During his three years, he averaged 11.5 strikeouts per nine innings and his career collegiate earned run average (ERA) was 2.57. He was named CAA Rookie of the Year in 2002 and earned All-CAA honors in 2003 and 2004. Verlander was named the ODU Alumni Association's Male Athlete of the Year in 2004 and
7812-510: The Dodgers were already behind 11–0. Alston gave Koufax the start in Game 5, at the Los Angeles Coliseum . In what would have been the series-clincher, Koufax allowed only one run in seven innings but lost the game 1–0 when Nellie Fox scored on a double play and the Dodgers failed to score a run in support. Returning to Chicago, the Dodgers won Game 6 and their first championship in Los Angeles. In early 1960, Koufax asked Dodgers general manager Buzzie Bavasi to trade him because he believed he
7936-403: The Dodgers, the Criollos were the only other team Koufax pitched for in his career. On May 15, the restriction on sending Koufax down to the minors was lifted. Alston gave him a chance to justify his place on the major league roster by giving him the next day's start. Facing the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field , Koufax struck out 13 while pitching his first complete game in almost two years. For
8060-407: The Giants afterwards. That summer, Koufax began pitching regularly for the Parkviews. In September, Ed McCarrick, a scout for the Pittsburgh Pirates , was highly impressed with Koufax after seeing him in a few sandlot games . At McCarrick's behest, Branch Rickey , general manager of the Pirates, sent scout Clyde Sukeforth to see Koufax. Sukeforth subsequently invited him to Forbes Field for
8184-438: The Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur garnered national attention and made him an iconic figure within the American Jewish community. Since retiring, Koufax has kept a low profile and makes public appearances on rare occasions. In December 1966, he signed a 10-year contract to work as a broadcaster for NBC ; uncomfortable in front of cameras and with public speaking, he resigned after six years. In 1979, Koufax returned to work as
8308-410: The Left Arm of God ", is an American former baseball pitcher who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers from 1955 to 1966. Widely regarded as one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history, Koufax was the first three-time winner of the Cy Young Award , each time winning unanimously and the only pitcher to do so when a single award was given for both
8432-432: The Rookie of the Year, Cy Young, and MVP awards in his career. On May 18, 2012 , 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, his 16th complete game overall, and sixth career shutout. Verlander, who struck out 12 in the game, was hitting the upper-90s and 100 mph (160 km/h) into
8556-465: The Tigers on June 13 against the Cleveland Indians. He pitched five innings, giving up two runs on three hits and two walks while striking out two. He left the game with a 3–2 lead but got a no-decision as the Indians came back against the Tiger bullpen to win the game. In his next start on June 19, Verlander gave up Alex Rodriguez 's 3,000th career hit, a home run. On August 26, Verlander came within three outs of his third career no-hitter before allowing
8680-453: 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 named the cover athlete of Major League Baseball 2K12 . Verlander won both the 2011 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, the first starting pitcher to do so since Roger Clemens in 1986, and
8804-457: The Year Award . Prior to the 2013 season, Verlander and the Tigers reached an agreement on a seven-year, $ 180 million contract, with a $ 22 million vesting option for 2020 if he finishes in the top five in Cy Young Award voting in 2019. This contract made him the highest-paid pitcher in MLB history. Verlander made his sixth-consecutive Opening Day start for the Tigers against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field in Minneapolis and won 4–2. In
8928-795: The Year award, as awarded by the Detroit Chapter of the BBWAA. Following the season, Verlander was announced by the BBWAA as a finalist for the American League Cy Young Award, along with Corey Kluber and former teammate Rick Porcello . Verlander finished second in Cy Young voting, losing to Porcello by five points, 132–137 in what was the second-closest vote in history (to the 2012 AL Cy Young race Verlander lost). Verlander received 14 first-place votes, to Porcello's eight first-place votes, but Verlander
9052-476: The advice, Koufax struck out the side and finished the game with seven no-hit innings. He went on to have a strong spring training. All the improvements and changes made in the offseason and during spring training resulted in 1961 becoming Koufax's breakout season. He posted an 18–13 record and led the majors with 269 strikeouts, breaking Christy Mathewson 's 58-year-old NL mark of 267, and doing so in 110 innings fewer than Mathewson had. That season also marked
9176-462: The artery, preventing the possibility of amputation . Koufax was finally able to pitch again in September, when the team was locked in a tight pennant race with the Giants. However, after the long layoff, he was rusty and ineffective in three appearances and, by the end of the regular season and in part due to Koufax's absence from the Dodgers rotation, the Giants caught up with the Dodgers and forced
9300-488: The college baseball team , planning a last-minute road trip in his office which started in New Orleans . Eager to visit the city, he told Jucker, "I'm a pitcher" and made the team in a subsequent tryout. For the season, Koufax went 3–1 with a 2.81 earned run average, 51 strikeouts and 30 walks in 32 innings pitched. While with the college baseball team, Koufax began to attract the attention of baseball scouts. Bill Zinser ,
9424-565: The core surgery during the 2014 season, contributing to production inferior to his career norms. Verlander started the 2015 season on the disabled list due to a right triceps strain, ending his streak of seven consecutive Opening Day starts for the Tigers. This marked the first time Verlander had been placed on the DL in his major league career, following 298 career starts and 1,978 innings pitched. Verlander has thrown more pitches than any other pitcher since his rookie season in 2006, with 32,535 pitches in
9548-424: The deciding fifth game of the series, he pitched a complete-game shutout allowing four hits as the Tigers won 6–0 and advanced to the 2012 ALCS . Verlander, who struck out 11 in each of his ALDS starts became the first pitcher in MLB history to record more than 10 strikeouts in a winner-take-all postseason shutout. Verlander's 22 strikeouts in the series set a record for an ALDS. Verlander made his only appearance in
9672-554: The early 1960s, particularly regarding the importance of first-pitch strikes and the benefits of breaking pitches. On March 23, Koufax was chosen to pitch in a B-squad game against the Minnesota Twins in Orlando, Florida , by teammate Gil Hodges who was acting manager for the day. As teammate Ed Palmquist had missed the flight, leaving the team short one pitcher, Hodges told Koufax he needed to pitch at least seven innings. Prior to
9796-481: The eighth inning. Verlander was named to the American League team roster and AL starting pitcher in the All-Star Game . Verlander was joined by teammates Prince Fielder and Miguel Cabrera , the former voted as a starter. At the All-Star break, Verlander had a 9–5 record and a 2.58 ERA in 18 games, and was leading the AL in innings pitched ( 132 + 2 ⁄ 3 ), strikeouts (128) and complete games (five). In
9920-485: The final game of the season. Koufax, along with fellow Dodgers pitcher Don Drysdale , served in the United States Army Reserve for two years, from 1957 to 1959. He was often stationed at Fort Dix, New Jersey during the offseason. Koufax began the 1958 season 7–3, but sprained his ankle in a collision with Jim Bolger of the Chicago Cubs at first base on July 5, resulting in a long layoff. Throughout
10044-493: The first Tiger since Bill Gullickson in 1991 to win 20 games, and the first Major League pitcher since Curt Schilling in 2002 to reach 20 wins before the end of August. By the end of the season, Verlander had won the Triple Crown of pitching in the AL, leading the league in wins (24), strikeouts (250; tied for sixth most in Tigers history) and ERA (2.40). Los Angeles Dodgers left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw had clinched
10168-443: The first rookie pitcher in the history of the game to win 10 games before the end of June and was named AL Rookie of the Year at the end of the season. During Game 1 of the 2006 World Series , Verlander was the Tigers starting pitcher against Anthony Reyes of the St. Louis Cardinals ; it was the first instance in which two rookies faced off to start a World Series. The Tigers went on to lose
10292-414: The first time in his career that Koufax started at least 30 games (35) and pitched at least 200 innings (255.2). He lowered his walks allowed per nine innings from 5.1 in 1960 to 3.4 in 1961, led the NL with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 2.80, and led the majors with a fielding independent pitching mark (FIP) of 3.00. On September 20, in the last regular season baseball game at the Coliseum, Koufax won
10416-475: The first time in his career, he was in the starting rotation , but only for two weeks. Despite winning three of his next five with a 2.90 earned run average, Koufax did not get another start for 45 days. In that start, he struck out 11 in seven innings, but got no decision. On September 29, he became the last man to pitch for the Brooklyn Dodgers before their move to Los Angeles, throwing an inning of relief in
10540-491: The first time that had occurred in his career. Verlander fared somewhat better in the second half of 2014. His season ERA and WHIP dropped to 4.54 and 1.398, respectively. He won his final three decisions to finish with a 15–12 record, and the Tigers won the game in 6 of his last 8 starts. His strikeout rate remained low, however finishing with 159 strikeouts and a 6.9 K/9 IP rate, both the lowest since his 2006 rookie season. He mentioned in 2018 that he had not fully recovered from
10664-433: The first to allow fewer than seven hits per nine innings pitched . Koufax, along with teammate Don Drysdale , became a pivotal figure in baseball's labor movement when the two staged a joint holdout and demanded a fairer contract from the Dodgers before the 1966 season. Koufax is also considered one of the greatest Jewish athletes in history; his decision to sit out Game 1 of the 1965 World Series because it coincided with
10788-466: The first two hits of his major league career during a 6–2 road win over the San Diego Padres . This snapped a career 0-for-26 string. Verlander struggled in the first half of 2014. His strikeouts were down to 6.8 per nine innings pitched , as opposed to an average of 9.2 over the last five years. His ERA and WHIP in the season's first half were also elevated to 4.71 and 1.49 respectively. Verlander
10912-500: The fourth Tigers pitcher to do so in franchise history, joining Denny McLain ( 1968 ), Hal Newhouser ( 1944 , 1945), and Willie Hernández (1984). Verlander unanimously won the 2011 AL Cy Young Award and also won the AL MVP in a much closer vote. Verlander edged out Boston 's Jacoby Ellsbury , 280 points to 242 points while collecting 13 of 28 first-place votes. He became the second pitcher in baseball history after Don Newcombe to win
11036-454: The game, catcher Norm Sherry told him: "If you get behind the hitters, don't try to throw so hard." This was due to Koufax's tendency to lose his temper and throw hard and wildly whenever he got into trouble. The strategy worked initially before Koufax temporarily reverted to throwing hard and walked the bases loaded with no out in the fifth. Sherry reminded Koufax of their discussion, advising him to settle down and throw to his glove; heeding
11160-583: The game. Arencibia was erased on a double play, so Verlander faced a minimum of 27 batters for the game. He became the second Tigers pitcher since Virgil Trucks , and the 30th pitcher in the history of baseball, to throw multiple no-hitters. On his next start, against the Kansas City Royals on May 13 Verlander took a no-hitter into the sixth inning before surrendering a triple. Altogether, he pitched 15 + 2 ⁄ 3 consecutive no-hit innings which were spread over three starts. On June 14, Verlander took
11284-473: The hair on my arms has stood up: The first time I saw the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and the second time, I saw Sandy Koufax throw a fastball." After the tryout, Koufax's father negotiated the contract with the Dodgers, asking for a bonus which would allow his son to finish college if his baseball career failed. They agreed on a $ 20,000 contract ($ 227,000 today) – $ 6,000 then-league minimum salary, with
11408-591: The leagues; he was also named the National League Most Valuable Player in 1963. Retiring at the age of 30 due to chronic pain in his pitching elbow, Koufax was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1972 at the age of 36, the youngest player ever elected. Born in Brooklyn, New York , Koufax was primarily a basketball player in his youth and had pitched in only
11532-687: The major leagues, many North American cities and towns feature minor league teams. An organization officially styled Minor League Baseball , formerly the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, oversees nearly all minor league baseball in the United States and Canada. The minor leagues are divided into classes AAA, AA, High-A, A, and Rookie. These minor-league divisions are affiliated with major league teams, and serve to develop young players and rehabilitate injured major-leaguers. "Affiliated baseball" (archaically, " organized baseball ")
11656-733: The major-league Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, the Negro leagues gradually faded. The process of integration did not go entirely smoothly; there were some ugly incidents, including pitchers who would try to throw directly at a black player's head. Now, however, baseball is fully integrated, and there is little to no racial tension between teammates. Between 1943 and 1954, the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League fielded teams in several Midwestern towns. Sandy Koufax Sanford Koufax ( / ˈ k oʊ f æ k s / ; né Braun ; born December 30, 1935), nicknamed "
11780-439: The most by a Tiger since Mickey Lolich 's 308 in 1971, while his 10.1/9 IP strikeout rate led all American League starters. His 19 wins led the majors this season. Verlander finished third in the AL Cy Young Award voting behind winner Zack Greinke and runner-up Félix Hernández . In the offseason, Verlander and the Tigers reached a deal for a five-year, $ 80 million contract extension. On July 3, Verlander earned his 10th win of
11904-748: The regular season, and 1,688 pitches in the postseason. On May 31, Verlander was sent to the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens for a rehab assignment. It was his first time ever pitching for the Mud Hens having gone straight from Double-A to the major leagues in 2005. He threw 79 pitches, 50 for strikes, allowing six hits and two walks in 2 + 2 ⁄ 3 innings. He fared better in his second rehab start on June 6, lasting 5 + 2 ⁄ 3 innings and throwing 93 pitches (69 for strikes). He gave up just one unearned run on four hits and no walks while striking out nine batters. Verlander made his season debut with
12028-421: The rule, the Dodgers placed Koufax on their major league roster. As it subsequently turned out, Koufax never played in the minor leagues . During his first spring training , Koufax struggled with his new training regime and suffered from a sore arm most of the time. Having pitched less than twenty games in the sandlots and in college combined, he did not know a lot about pitching such as how to properly field
12152-475: The season, he never had an outing in which he threw fewer than six innings or 100 pitches. Through 2011, Verlander had the best career strikeouts/9 innings percentage in Tigers history (8.3), and the second-best career win-loss percentage (.652; also the fourth-best percentage of all active pitchers). In 2011, Verlander received the AL Sporting News Pitcher of the Year Award , Sporting News Player of
12276-474: The season, he was also plagued with back pain which was the result of a benign tumor on his rib cage, necessitating him to undergo surgery in the offseason to have the growth removed. As a result, he finished the season at 11–11 and leading the majors in wild pitches . In 1959, on June 22, he set the record for a night game with 16 strikeouts against the Philadelphia Phillies . On August 31, against
12400-586: The second Tigers pitcher to reach the milestone following Lolich. Verlander went into the 2016 All-Star break with an 8–6 record, 4.07 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 120 strikeouts in 117 + 1 ⁄ 3 innings (9.2 K/9). Verlander was named the American League Pitcher of the Month for July. He was 4–0 with a 1.69 ERA in six July starts, holding opposing hitters to a .171 average, and striking out 48 batters in 42 + 2 ⁄ 3 innings. Among qualifying starters in
12524-409: The second consecutive year. Professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada consists of the National League (founded in 1876) and
12648-516: The second overall pick of the 2004 MLB draft . He made his major league debut with the Tigers in 2005 playing there for 12 years as the ace in their starting rotation, as a key figure in four consecutive American League (AL) Central division championships (2011–2014) and two AL pennants (in 2006 and 2012). He is among the career pitching leaders for the Tigers, including ranking second in strikeouts (2,373), seventh in wins (183), and eighth in innings pitched (2,511). The Tigers traded Verlander to
12772-599: The series to the Cardinals in five games. Verlander's success continued in 2007, as he accumulated 18 wins and posted a 3.66 ERA with 183 strikeouts in 201 + 2 ⁄ 3 innings. On June 12, Verlander recorded a no-hitter against the Milwaukee Brewers , striking out twelve and walking four while throwing a fastball 102 mph (164 km/h). In 2008, Verlander lost four consecutive games before winning his first one. He led MLB in losses with 17. Overall, he finished
12896-529: The sixth NL pitcher and the 11th overall to throw one; he remains the only one to do so in a no-hitter. His no-hitter, along with a 4–2 record, 73 strikeouts and a 1.23 ERA, earned him the Player of the Month Award for June. It was the only time in his career he earned this distinction. Throughout the first half of the season, Koufax dealt with an injured pitching hand. In April, while at bat, he had been jammed by
13020-460: The sixth pitcher in MLB history to throw three career no-hitters, and the 18th to strike out 3,000 batters . Verlander is a nine-time MLB All-Star and has led the AL in strikeouts five times, in earned run average twice, and in wins three times. He was the AL Rookie of the Year in 2006, and in 2007 pitched the first no-hitter at Comerica Park versus the Milwaukee Brewers . In 2009, he led
13144-495: The trash, having decided to quit baseball and devote himself to an electronics business in which he had invested. In his first six seasons, he had posted a record of 36–40 with a 4.10 earned run average. Nobe Kawano , the clubhouse supervisor, retrieved the equipment in case Koufax decided to return the following year. Koufax came to regret his decision to quit, having found working in the offseason boring. He decided to give baseball another try, remarking years later, "I decided I
13268-495: The win as the Tigers lost the game, 1–0, in the bottom of the ninth inning. In Game 5 of the same series, Verlander pitched eight shutout innings with ten strikeouts in a 3–0 victory and taking a no-hitter into the 7th inning. The win sent the Tigers to the American League Championship Series for the third consecutive year. Verlander defeated the Athletics in Game 5 of the ALDS for the second straight season and
13392-412: The young pitcher's talent and objecting to him being benched for weeks at a time. Pitcher Don Newcombe stated years later that Koufax faced antisemitism as a young pitcher from white players on the team who shunned him and used antisemitic slurs when referring to him. This led to black teammates rallying to Koufax's defense and supporting him during his early years. To prepare him for the 1957 season,
13516-613: Was 1–1 with a 0.39 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 23 postseason innings; two of his starts involved the Tigers scoring no runs of offense. On January 9, 2014, Verlander underwent core muscle surgery. The Tigers projected that Verlander might miss Opening Day in the aftermath of his surgery but he eventually recovered just in time for when pitchers and catchers reported to training camp in February 2014. On March 16, Tiger manager Brad Ausmus announced that Verlander would make his seventh consecutive opening-day start on March 31. On April 12, Verlander got
13640-462: Was also a shutout, a five-hitter against the Pirates on September 3. In his rookie year, Koufax threw 41.2 innings in 12 appearances, striking out 30 batters and walking 28, with a record of 2–2 and 3.02 earned run average. The Dodgers went on to win the National League pennant and the 1955 World Series over the New York Yankees , the first title in franchise history; however, even though he
13764-435: Was among the best starters in the majors after the 2016 All-Star Break. From July 15 on, Verlander compiled an 8–3 record, 1.96 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, and 134 strikeouts in 110 + 1 ⁄ 3 innings. In his three losses, the Tigers scored a total of two runs. Verlander finished the 2016 season with a 16–9 record while recording 254 strikeouts to lead the American League for the fourth time in his career. He also finished first in
13888-528: Was being managed by the Dodgers, he almost quit after the 1960 season. After making adjustments prior to the 1961 season, Koufax quickly rose to become the most dominant pitcher in the major leagues, as well as the first major sports star on the West Coast . He was an All-Star in each of his last six seasons, leading the National League (NL) in earned run average each of his last five years, in strikeouts four times, and in wins and shutouts three times each. He
14012-527: Was honored with a statue outside the centerfield plaza of Dodger Stadium in 2022. That same year, Koufax became the first player to mark the 50th anniversary of his election to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Koufax was born Sanford Braun to a Jewish family on December 30, 1935, in Borough Park, Brooklyn . His parents, Evelyn (née Lichtenstein) and Jack Braun, divorced when he was three years old. The son of
14136-573: Was left off two ballots. It marked the third time in history and first in the AL that a pitcher won the Cy Young Award without receiving the most first-place votes. In a win over the Chicago White Sox on April 4, 2017, 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. In his 51st plate appearance in interleague play, Verlander recorded his first career run batted in (RBI) in an August 30 game against
14260-502: Was named the World Series MVP twice, leading the weak-hitting Dodgers to titles in 1963 and 1965 . Despite his comparatively short career, his 2,396 career strikeouts ranked seventh in major league history at the time, trailing only Warren Spahn (2,583) among left-handers; his 40 shutouts were tied for ninth in modern NL history. He was the first pitcher in history to average more than nine strikeouts per nine innings pitched , and
14384-565: Was not getting enough playing time, a request that was denied. On May 23, he pitched a one-hit shutout against the Pirates , allowing only a second-inning single by pitcher Bennie Daniels and striking out 10 batters in the process. However, the game was a highlight in an otherwise bad year for Koufax in which he went 8–13 with a 3.97 earned run average. After the last game of the season, frustrated with his lack of progress as well as resentment towards Dodger management, Koufax threw his equipment into
14508-504: Was not named to the AL All-Star team for the first time since 2008 snapping a streak of five straight appearances. On August 11, in a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates , Verlander allowed five runs, four earned, on four hits in only one inning. Verlander left the game with right shoulder soreness in the shortest outing of his career. His previous shortest outing was 1 + 1 ⁄ 3 innings in 2008. Verlander would miss his next start,
14632-595: Was on the World Series roster, Koufax did not appear in the series. During the fall, he had enrolled in the Columbia University School of General Studies , which offered night classes in architecture; after the final out of Game 7, Koufax went straight to Columbia to attend class. The 1956 season was not very different from 1955 for Koufax. Despite his blazing fastball, Koufax continued to struggle with control. He saw little work, pitching only 58.2 innings with
14756-488: Was placed on the disabled list for 30 days; he would be activated by the Dodgers on June 8. To make room for him, they optioned their future Hall of Fame manager, Tommy Lasorda , to their Triple-A affiliate, the Montreal Royals . Lasorda would later joke that it took "one of the greatest left-handers in history" to keep him off the Dodgers major league roster. Koufax made his major league debut on June 24, 1955, against
14880-417: Was really going to find out how good I can be." During the offseason, Koufax underwent tonsillectomy due to recurring throat issues and, as a result, reported to spring training thirty pounds under his normal playing weight. He later stated that it forced him to regain the lost muscle mass and weight through exercise and nutrition, allowing him to get into the "best shape" of his life. From then on, he made it
15004-432: Was selected to his fourth AL All-Star team but he was unable to participate in the game due to the scheduling of his starts. On July 31, Verlander took a no-hitter into the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Angels before surrendering a single to Maicer Izturis . He walked two and struck out nine. On August 11, Verlander won his 100th major league game against the Cleveland Indians. A victory on August 27 made Verlander
15128-479: Was the first pitcher in the live-ball era to post an earned run average below 2.00 in three different qualifying seasons, and the first ever to record a 300-strikeout season three times. Koufax won the Major League Triple Crown three times, leading the Dodgers to a pennant in each of those years. He was the first major league pitcher to throw four no-hitters , including a perfect game in 1965. He
15252-489: Was the second overall pick in the 2004 Major League Baseball draft by the Detroit Tigers . Verlander's professional baseball career began when he was selected by the Detroit Tigers with the second overall pick in the 2004 MLB Draft . He signed a contract on October 25, 2004. Verlander made his professional debut in 2005. He played for two of Detroit's minor league affiliates: the Lakeland Flying Tigers (A+) and
15376-475: Was young. He was able to throw an 84 mph (135 km/h) fastball shortly after joining the academy. His velocity plateaued at 86 mph (138 km/h) during his senior year at Goochland High School, during which he was sidetracked by strep throat . Verlander's velocity increased to 87 mph (140 km/h) during his first year with Old Dominion . Verlander, a 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m), 200 lb (91 kg) right-handed pitcher, played for
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