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The awards just keep coming for Houston Astros free agent hurler Justin Verlander as the American League (AL) bestowed its Comeback Player of the Year Award upon the 39-year-old righty on Tuesday.
According to a report on the Astros’ website, Verlander earned the accolade in response to what was a phenomenal return from Tommy John surgery.
“Congrats to JV for being named the AL Comeback Player of the Year!” the franchise said in a tweet.
Verlander is fresh from being awarded his third overall Cy Young and his second World Series championship.
It was in Game 5 of the best-of-seven championship round between the Astros and the Philadelphia Phillies when he finally picked up his first Fall Classic win.
The just-concluded 2022 campaign was Verlander’s first on the mound since injuries and subsequent medical procedures sidelined him for two years.
He inked a one-year deal with the Astros in late 2021 and went on to compile an 18-4 record and a 1.75 earned run average (ERA), occupying the top spot in several statistical categories in his comeback season, Houston Daily reported last month.
According to the team’s report, the award is determined after a vote by MLB.com’s 30 club beat writers.
Officially sanctioned by Major League Baseball (MLB), it has been awarded since 2005 to a player in each league who plays spectacularly after missing most or all of the previous season.
Verlander is the first Astros player to garner the award, the franchise said.
Houston CBS affiliate KHOU reported that Verlander, who came to Houston from the Detroit Tigers by way of a trade in 2017, compiled a 61-19 record with a 2.26 earned run average (ERA) in 652 innings during his half-decade with the newly crowned champions.
ESPN reported that St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols won the National League (NL) Comeback Player of the Year Award.
While Verlander is mulling whether to stay with the Astros, Pujols retired after the Cardinals were eliminated from the postseason.