Scherzer earns AL Player of Week honors

Tigers right-hander Max Scherzer became the first Major League starter to go 11-0 to start a season since Roger Clemens did so 16 years ago, and his most recent pair of victories earned him American League Player of the Week honors.

Scherzer went 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA, 16 strikeouts and two walks in 13 innings over two starts last week, leading the AL in wins, ranking second in strikeouts and finishing tied for fourth in innings pitched.

Scherzer held the Orioles to only one run and struck out 10 over six innings on Monday for his 10th win, then came back and held the Red Sox to two runs over seven innings on Saturday to improve to 11-0.

Scherzer became the fastest Tigers pitcher to reach double-digit wins since Jack Morris won his 10th game in the 63rd game of the 1987 season. Detroit has never had a starter win his first 11 decisions to begin a season.

Scherzer joined some more elite company in his two starts last week, as he's struck out at least six batters in each of his 15 starts this season, tying Pedro Martinez (1999) for the second-longest streak of six-strikeout games to begin a season in AL history. Martinez holds the overall record, having put together a 29-game streak to start the 2000 season.

Overall this year, Scherzer has a 3.05 ERA and 122 strikeouts to 24 walks over 103 1/3 innings, ranking first in wins, second in strikeouts and fourth in fewest hits allowed per nine innings, with 6.097. And, of course, he is unbeaten at 11-0.

On Friday against Tampa Bay, Scherzer will attempt to become the first pitcher to start the year 12-0 since Clemens accomplished the feat for Boston in 1986.