Detroit Tigers 2016 Player Review: Justin Verlander

2 of 4

Aug 10, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Justin Verlander (35) throws against the Seattle Mariners during the second inning at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports /

2016 Stats

Simply put, Verlander was excellent regardless of what stat is used to judge his season.

The starter won 16 of his 34 starts, throwing 227.2 innings. Over those 227.2 innings, Verlander struck out 10.04 batters per nine innings while walking just 2.25 per nine frames. His 254 total strikeouts led the league.

In addition, the veteran held opposing batters to a .204 batting average and a tidy 1.00 WHIP.

He didn’t just excel in preventing base runners, Verlander put up outstanding run-prevention numbers with a 3.04 ERA, a 3.42 SIERA, a 3.48 FIP and a 3.78 xFIP.

All told, the longtime Tiger led Detroit’s starters in just about every major pitching category. Only Michael Fulmer and Mike Pelfrey allowed fewer home runs per nine innings. That was it.

From WHIP to strikeout percentage to SIERA, Verlander led the charge for Detroit.

Best Stretch

While it was a particularly long stretch, the former first-round pick was dominant after the calendar turned to July.

From the second of July through October 2^nd, Verlander pitched to a miniscule 1.98 ERA and a .239 on-base percentage against while striking out 147 batters in 123 innings. Perhaps most importantly, the Tigers won 11 of his 18 starts during the stretch.