Justin Verlander

Justin Brooks Verlander ( VUR-land-ər; born February 20, 1983) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has also played in MLB for the Houston Astros, New York Mets, and San Francisco Giants. A three-time Cy Young Award winner, an American League (AL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award recipient, and a two-time World Series champion, Verlander is considered to be 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 the second overall pick of the 2004 MLB draft, and he made his major league debut with the Tigers in 2005. He was the AL Rookie of the Year in 2006. In 2007, Verlander pitched the first no-hitter at Comerica Park. In 2009, he led the AL in wins and strikeouts, both for the first time. Verlander produced his most successful season in 2011, 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. Verlander played for Detroit for 12 years, becoming the ace in their starting rotation and a key figure in four consecutive AL Central division championships (2011–2014) and two AL pennants (in 2006 and 2012).