May 3rd in Cleveland Tigers’ starting pitcher Justin Verlander gave up 7 runs on 8 hits and 3 walks in 5 innings of work. Following that game Verlander saw his ERA for the season at 6.49. Verlander’s starts prior to that game hadn’t been much better. Only once did he pitch 7 complete innings and he gave up 3 or more runs in all but one of his starts. Following the 7 run effort at Cleveland Verlander took to Twitter saying, “I’m going to dominate soon! I’m close. Doubt me if you want…We’ll see. #gotigers”. It’s starting to look like Just was right.
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Justin Verlander throws in the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
In Verlander’s last four starts for the Tigers he’s pitched at least seven innings every time out. In those four games he has only given up a total of 4 runs, including two outings where he left the game scoreless. Additionally Verlander has started piling up strikeouts. IN order his last four strikeout totals are: 9, 8, 10, and 10. Justin’s ERA has dropped from 6.49 to 4.02 which is 28th in the AL and his season WHIP is at 1.15 good enough for a 14th place tie.
In Justin’s last 4 starts the Tigers are just 2-2 owing in large part to offensive struggles in a 1-0 loss at Baltimore on May 13th and a bullpen meltdown against Texas on May 8th when Justin pitched 7 scoreless innings and Detroit lost 8-3.
There are clearly trouble spots in the Tigers starting rotation as Anibal Sanchez continues to struggle and Jordan Zimmerman is banged up, but I tend to believe Verlander when he says he’s close to domination. If the last 4 starts are an indication, he might already be there.