The Houston Astros are headed to their second World Series in franchise history, thanks in large part to strong pitching from Justin Verlander, and the veteran right-hander was rewarded with the American League Championship Series MVP on Saturday night.
Justin Verlander wins ALCS MVP
Astros RHP struck out 21 in 16 innings in his two starts, both wins
Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports
Houston beat the Yankees in Game 7 on Saturday to win their first pennant since 2005. The Astros will head to the World Series to battle the Los Angeles Dodgers, beginning on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.
Verlander was magnificent in both of his starts in the series, striking out 13 and allowing one run in Game 2 in the first nine-inning complete game in a League Championship Series since 2005. He followed that up in Game 6 with seven shutout innings and eight more strikeouts.
Dating back to 2012, Verlander has pitched 24 consecutive scoreless innings in games with his team facing elimination, tied for the longest such streak in postseason history per Elias.
“He’s been everything that we could have hoped for and more. This guy prepares. He rises to the moment,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said on Friday. “I’m so proud of him because I know how much it means to him. I know how much he puts into these outings. He chose to come here for games like this and beyond.”
Verlander is the first starting pitcher to win ALCS MVP since C.C. Sabathia in 2009. Sabathia took the loss for the Yankees on Saturday night in Game 7, allowing one run in 3⅓ innings.
The Astros acquired Verlander from the Detroit Tigers on Aug. 31, and the six-time All-Star, former MVP, former Cy Young winner and two-time Cy Young runner up has been in peak form with his new team. Verlander has pitched in nine games since joining the Astros including the postseason — eight starts and one relief appearance. He’s 9-0 with a 1.23 ERA, with 67 strikeouts and 11 walks in 58⅔ innings.
Verlander is the third Astros player to win a League Championship Series MVP award, and the first since Roy Oswalt in 2005. Houston’s Mike Scott won the 1986 NLCS MVP despite Houston losing the series to the New York Mets.
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