HOUSTON – Houston Astros’ Justin Verlander was named the American League Player of the Week for the week of Sept. 25-Oct. 1, Major League Baseball announced Monday.
Through two starts last week, Verlander went 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA (1ER/13IP) and struck out 13 batters to four walks while allowing just five hits, a news release from the league said. He held opponents to a .116 batting average (5x43), as well as a .331 OPS.
Recommended Videos
“On the back of his outings, the Astros won two crucial games in the American League West Division playoff race on their way to winning the division title for the sixth time in the last seven years,” the release said.
This marks the 10th career AL Player of the Week award for Verlander, with his last being Sept. 1, 2019.
Since the award came into existence in 1973, MLB said only three other pitchers have won 10 or more Player of the Week Awards. They are: Nolan Ryan (13), Roger Clemens (11) and Randy Johnson (10).
Verlander’s AL Player of the Week honor also marks the fifth time an Astro has won the award this year. Jose Altuve (Aug. 7-13 and Sept. 4-10), Framber Valdez (July 31-Aug. 6) and Chas McCormick (July 14-16) also received the recognition.
According to MLB stats, Verlander tossed five scoreless innings and struck out five batters on Saturday at Arizona to pick up a winning decision as the Astros secured a postseason spot with a 1-0 victory.
In his first start of the week on Tuesday at Seattle, he allowed one run on three hits through eight innings with one walk and eight strikeouts in a 5-1 Astros victory. It matched his longest outing of the season and was his longest since being reacquired by the Astros on Aug. 1, MLB said.