Hayes: Stranded on a desert island: Justin Verlander shoots for another record
From Zachary Hayes at The Hardball Times on September 12, 2019:
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but we should be paying attention to Justin Verlander.
In light of his September 1 no-hitter, much fuss has been made about Verlander as of late, and for good reason. Even by a no-hitter’s rarified standards, Verlander’s effort was noteworthy. He joined ranks with Nolan Ryan, Sandy Koufax, Bob Feller, and Cy Young as the only modern-era pitchers with three successful no-hit bids, perhaps adding the final flourish necessary for a Cooperstown-worthy resume.
Craig Edwards expertly used batted-ball data to show how little defensive help Verlander needed to keep Toronto in check. Over 303 recorded no-hitters, his 14 strikeouts have been matched in only 11. It was just the 15th time ever a pitcher has recorded a Game Score of 100. No-hitters aren’t always pretty—they don’t always even guarantee a victory—but Verlander’s was pretty much as good as they come.
Read the full article here: https://tht.fangraphs.com/stranded-on-a-desert-island-justin-verlander-shoots-for-another-record/
Originally published: September 13, 2019. Last Updated: September 13, 2019.