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Wins Both the 2011 Cy Young and MVP Awards

Justin Verlander was a one-man wrecking crew during the 2011 American League season, crushing batting averages and leaving a long list of frustrated and unsuccessful hitters in his wake. He won 24 games, was beaten just five times, and piled up 250 strikeouts on his way to being a unanimous Cy Young Award selection. Those 24 wins were the most in the American League since Bob Welch went 27–6 for Oakland back in 1990. Verlander became the third Detroit pitcher to win the award, joining Denny McLain (1968 and 1969) and Guillermo Hernandez (1984). He also grabbed the American League MVP award, a rare double done only 10 times in MLB history. He joined this elite

company in winning both honors: Don Newcombe (1956), Sandy Koufax (1963), Bob Gibson (1968), Denny McLain (1968), Vida Blue (1971), Rollie Fingers (1981), Willie Hernandez (1984), Roger Clemens (1986), and Dennis Eckersley (1992).

Justin Verlander won the Cy Young and MVP awards in 2011, only the 10th time that has been done in major league history.

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Chapter 1: Greatest Moments