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Career timeline: Justin Verlander

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July 4, 2005: First of many

Verlander, Detroit's No. 3 prospect, struck out four over 5 1/3 innings against Cleveland in his MLB debut

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2006: Rookie of the Year

After getting a taste of the Majors in 2005, Verlander won Rookie of the Year after posting a 3.63 ERA, while striking out 124 batters across 30 starts

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June 12, 2007: No-no #1

Verlander displayed flashes of dominance early in his career, showcased by a 12-K no-hitter against the Milwaukee Brewers

2007: Star Watch

A 10x All-Star, Verlander's first appearance in the mid-summer classic came 2007

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May 7, 2011: No-no #2

Carrying a perfect game into the eighth inning, Verlander struck out four Blue Jays to secure his second career no-hitter in the midst of a historic 2011 campaign

2011: Triple Crown

After posting an absurd MLB-best 2.40 ERA, 250 strikeouts and 24 wins, Verlander won the pitching Triple Crown, and nabbed Cy Young and MVP honors, becoming the first pitcher since 1992 to win AL MVP

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Aug. 31, 2017: H-Town Surprise

With two seconds remaining before the waiver Trade deadline, the Houston Astros acquired Verlander, who went on to go 5-0 with a 1.06 ERA that September

Nov. 3, 2017: World Champion

After getting a taste of the World Series in 2006, Verlander, the 2017 ALCS MVP, earned his first ring in Houston

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Sept. 1, 2019: No-no #3

Almost eight years after celebrating his second career no-hitter in Toronto, Verlander, 36, ran it back, striking out 14 hitters in one of the most dominant performances in recent history

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Sept. 28, 2019: 3,000-K club

Verlander reached 300 strikeouts for the first time in his career, while simultaneously collecting career strikeout No. 3,000

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2019: Cy Young #2

The flamethrower became the 20th player to win multiple Cy Young awards after going 21-6 with a dominant 2.58 ERA over 223 innings

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Nov. 3, 2022: Long time coming

Before securing his second World Series ring, Verlander earned his first win in a World Series game after pitching five innings of one-run ball against the Phillies in Game 5

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2022: Cy Young #3

Having not pitched in a game since 2020 after undergoing Tommy John surgery, Verlander was unanimously named the AL Cy Young recipient, posting an MLB-best 1.75 ERA in 175 innings

2022: Welcome to New York

Fresh off a World Series win and Cy Young Award, Verlander signed a two-year, $86.7 million contract with the Mets, reuniting him with former teammate Max Scherzer

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Oct. 7, 2023: Reunions

Returning to the Astros at the 2023 Trade Deadline, Verlander started Game 1 of the ALDS, his 35th career postseason start, second-most after Andy Pettitte

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Sept. 6, 2025: Ladder climber

Verlander signed a one-year deal with the Giants, where he would go on to tie Gaylord Perry for eighth all-time in strikeouts with punchout No. 3,535

Feb. 2, 2026: Back to the start

Verlander joined the Tigers on a one-year deal, announcing 2026 would be his final season, wrapping up a historic 21-year career