Still Throwing Heat: What Made Verlander Genuinely Scary

Last Updated: June 17th, 2026 by Michael Griffin

The initials JV used to stand for Junior Varsity. There was nothing second-string about Justin Verlander throughout the course of his career. He made some of the best hitters look absolutely ridiculous, and he likely made Miguel Cabrera happy he was his teammate for many years. Here are 10 times when he had the league in the palm of his hand.

The 2007 No-Hitter: When Comerica Park Felt Like Tiger Stadium Again

Justin Verlander first came to the Tigers in 2005, full of promise. A year later, he won Rookie of the Year and went to the World Series. He took his progression even further, throwing a no-hitter against the Milwaukee Brewers. His tenacity reminded fans of Jack Morris, and for one night, fans felt like they were back in 1984.

Outdueling the Yankees—With Dad in the Stands and Rain in the Air

Pitching in the postseason brings on its own pressure. Pitching in the postseason with Dad watching from the stands? Verlander made the man who raised him and took him to Little League games proud. He made the vaunted Yankees look bad and his Dad very happy.

The “Old Man” Heater: 98 MPH in His Late 30s

Father Time usually winds up taking some miles per hour off pitchers’ fastballs. That means most of them settle for guile after 35. Not Verlander. He still throws hard, and this is on top of his already having Tommy John ligament surgery.

That 2011 Fastball—So Nasty Even the Radar Gun Blinked

In 2011, Verlander’s fastball was on another level. He was able to sustain it the entire game, too. There was no quit – he’d be throwing just as hard in the ninth as in the first. Hitters knew they’d have an uphill climb that day.

ALCS Game 2, 2017: Striking Out the Side Like It’s Little League

Justin Verlander turned back the clock in his first start against the Yankees in the ALCS. He looked like his dominant self, going the distance and striking out 13 Bronx Bombers. One had to wonder if he was mad at them that day.

Breaking Bats and Breaking Hearts in Detroit

There’s a certain crack when a bat snaps in two—a sound Detroit fans learned to love. Verlander made a habit of splintering wood and the hopes of visiting teams, stalking the mound with that old-school glare that would earn Bob Gibson’s stamp of approval. If heartbreak had a soundtrack, it was the echo of his fastball.

The 3,000th Strikeout— Not Quite How He Envisioned It Happening

When pitchers envision reaching a milestone like 3,000 strikeouts, they typically think of the batter whiffing, the catcher catching the ball, and then coming out to the mound while the crowd roars. Verlander had it go a bit differently: He got Kole Calhoun to whiff, but the pitch was one of those 59-1/2-foot ones that kick off the dirt in front of the plate and skip away… toward the Astros dugout. That allowed Calhoun to run to first. So, it was technically a strikeout, but there was a runner on first. Verlander sheepishly tipped his cap to the Anaheim crowd, who clapped appreciatively. Then again, he was surely consoled by the fact that supermodel Kate Upton was in the seats, cheering for him.

Shushing Fenway: When Verlander Owned the Green Monster’s Shadow

Verlander came to Fenway and wasn’t fazed by the ghosts of Red Sox greats like Ted Williams. In fact, when he pitched against Boston in the 2018 ALCS, you could almost hear the ghosts themselves giving grudging appreciation of the greatness of Verlander. Who knows, in another 50 years, we might be looking back at starts like this in the same way we talk about Williams.

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The Astros Debut: Pitching Like a Man Who’d Found the Fountain of Youth

Traded to Houston at the deadline, Verlander showed up and pitched like a man who was determined to get the Astros to the promised land. He knew he didn’t have that chance in Detroit, which is why he allowed the trade. His reward? A World Series ring.

2022: Finally Getting a ‘W’ On His World Series Pitching Record

Let’s make something perfectly clear here before you come after me with fact-checking. Yes, I know I just said that Justin Verlander won a World Series in 2017 with the Astros. He didn’t win a GAME, though. This was the first time that, if you looked at the box score of this game, you’d see, “W: Verlander.” That’s what this is about. He faced a Phillies team that had drubbed him on Oct. 28, 2022, for a 9.00 ERA and turned in a sparkling five-inning performance on Nov. 3 for a 1.80 ERA and a win. He might not have been the Verlander who could go all nine innings, but he showed signs of his old self.