August 31, 2017
The club and the city were reeling in August of 2017. The city had been ravished by Hurricane Harvey and the club had just finished a month that saw them go 11-17. Following what was viewed as a dud of a deadline where the team did not acquire a starting pitcher before the July 31st non-waiver deadline, the club pulled off a last second deal ahead of the August 31st waiver deadline. It would turn out to be the boost the club needed in their special 2017 season.
Needing Verlander's approval to make the deal happen, with just minutes left to get the paperwork in to the league office, Verlander gave the approval for the deal to send him to Houston. The Astros sent prospects Daz Cameron, Franklin Perez and Jake Rogers to Detroit. The Tigers sent prospect Juan Ramirez to Houston with Verlander.
The deal would immediately pay off for the Astros in the month of September. In his first first Astros start, Verlander would dazzle in Seattle against the Mariners, tossing six innings of one run ball, striking out seven, picking up his first win with Houston.
His second start with the club would produce more of the same as the team secured his second win as they took on the Angels in Anaheim on that road trip. Verlander tossing a brilliant eight innings of shutout ball, striking out nine Angels hitters in the Astros 1-0 win that night.
The club finally returned home from the road trip and the team was officially able to introduce Verlander to the Houston media.
His first home start with the Astros would come on the 17th of September in what would be another special day for Verlander and the club. Picking up his third straight win with the Astros, the club clinched the AL West that day at Minute Maid Park, securing their first division title since winning the NL Central back in 2001. Verlander tossed seven innings that afternoon against the Mariners, allowing just one run on three hits, striking out ten batters.
In his fourth start in the month of September, Verlander again took on the Angels, this time at Minute Maid Park. Securing his fourth win with Houston in the Astros 3-0 victory, Verlander tossed seven innings of shutout ball, allowing just one hit and striking out six Angels hitters.
Verlander's final start in September that year came in Arlington against the Rangers, where he was great once again. Picking up his fifth win in his five Astros starts, Verlander went six innings in the Astros 12-2 win that day, allowing just two runs and striking out 11 Rangers hitters.
Overall in that month of September, Verlander made five starts, his numbers looking like this:
IP: 34
W-L: 5-0
ERA: 1.06
SO: 43
BB: 5
WHIP: 0.647
His overall number in 2017 with Detroit and Houston:
Starts: 33
IP: 206
W-L: 15-8
ERA: 3.36
SO: 219
BB: 72
WHIP: 1.175
In the postseason, Verlander stepped his game up again, helping the Astros win their first title. The Astros would take down the Red Sox in four games in the ALDS, Verlander picking up two wins in the series.
In game one at Minute Maid Park, the Astros winning that one by a final of 8-2, Verlander tossed six innings in the win, allowing just two runs, striking out three and walking two.
The club was looking to finish off the series in Boston in game four and Verlander came out of the bullpen in the Astros 5-4 win to finish the series, picking up his second win of the 2017 postseason. He would throw two and two-thirds innings in relief that day, allowing one run on one hit, picking up no strikeouts, walking one.
The Astros moved on to the ALCS after beating Boston, where they would take on the New York Yankees. Verlander would start game two of the series, putting the Astros up 2-0 over the Yankees, tossing a brilliant performance. Throwing a complete game that day, the Astros secured his third win of the postseason thanks to Carlos Correa's walk-off double in the ninth inning, Verlander allowed just one run in his nine innings of work, only five Yankees hitters picking up hits off of him, striking out thirteen and walking just one.
The series shifted to New York for the next three games, where the Astros would lose their series lead by losing all three games. With their backs against the wall, Verlander stepped up big once again, leading the club to a win in game six, forcing a decisive game seven. Picking up his fourth postseason win in 2017 and second of the series, Verlander threw seven innings of shutout ball, allowing just five hits, striking out eight Yankees hitters and walking just one.
For his work in that 2017 ALCS, Verlander was named the MVP of the series. Here were his overall stats from the series:
Starts: 2
IP: 16
W-L: 2-0
ERA: 0.56
SO: 21
BB: 2
WHIP: 0.750
Those two wins for Verlander would be his final two wins of the 2017 postseason. In the World Series against the Dodgers, he pitched really well overall once again, but did not factor in the decision in the Astros game two win and took the loss in game six of the series. In his game two start, Verlander tossed six innings, allowing three runs on just two hits, striking out five and walking two.
Taking the loss in game six, Verlander was again really good overall, he worked six innings, allowing just two runs on three hits, striking out nine and allowing no walks.
Verlander's final 2017 Postseason stats:
Games: 6 (5 Starts)
IP: 36.2
W-L: 4-1
ERA: 2.21
SO: 38
BB: 8
WHIP: 0.818
In 2018, Verlander pitched his first full season in Houston, backing up what he did the season before after the trade to Houston. He would finish a close second place in the AL Cy Young Award voting in 2018 to the Tampa Bay Rays, Blake Snell.
Verlander's 2018 Regular Season Stats:
Starts: 34 (MLB Leader)
IP: 214
W-L: 16-9
ERA: 2.52
SO: 290 (AL Leader)
BB: 37
WHIP: 0.902 (MLB Leader)
The club would sweep the Indians in three games in the ALDS, Verlander picking up the win in game one of that series. He would win again in his next start, game one of the ALCS against the Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston. He would suffer his first and only loss of that 2018 postseason in game five of that series, the Astros final game of that 2018 season.
In 2019, baseball might have witnessed the best Verlander we have ever seen. Battling with his teammate, Gerrit Cole, he would win his second Cy Young Award for his work in 2019, throwing gems on the mound more often than he would not. His biggest highlight of the 2019 season coming in September, where he tossed his third career no-hitter as the club was in Toronto to play the Blue Jays. It was his second no-hitter in Toronto in his career.
Verlander's 2019 Regular Season Stats:
Starts: 34 (MLB Leader)
IP: 223 (MLB Leader)
W-L: 21-6 (MLB Wins Leader)
ERA: 2.58
SO: 300 (Career High)
BB: 42
WHIP: 0.803 (MLB Leader)
Verlander would start his 2019 postseason with another win in game one of the ALDS against the Rays. That game one win would be the only win that he would record in the 2019 Postseason, taking the loss in four of his next five starts for the Astros, who would lose to the Nationals in seven games in the World Series.
Verlander's Career Regular Season Stats with Astros:
Seasons: 2+
Starts: 73
IP: 471
W-L: 42-15
ERA: 2.45
SO: 633
BB: 84
WHIP: 0.837
Verlander's Career Postseason Stats with Astros:
Starts: 14 (1 Relief Appearance)
IP: 89.1
W-L: 7-6
ERA: 3.43
SO: 93
BB: 30
WHIP: 1.041
Career Accolades with Astros:
2019 AL Cy Young Award
2018 AL Cy Young Award Runner-Up
2x AL All-Star
2019 All-Star Game Starter
2019 MLB Wins Leader
2019 MLB Innings Pitched Leader
2018 & 2019 MLB WHIP Leader
2018 AL Strikeout Leader
2017 ALCS MVP
2018 AL Pitcher of the Month for May
3x AL Player of the Week