Verlander (16-9) allowed just one run on six hits and a walk with eight strikeouts across seven strong innings Sunday versus the Braves, but took a tough-luck loss.
Verlander was called upon to start with a postseason berth on the line, and although he twirled another excellent outing, the sacrifice fly he allowed in the first stood up as the winning run in a pitchers' duel with Julio Teheran. Verlander enjoyed a return to form this season, compiling an impressive 3.04 ERA and 1.00 WHIP to go along with a 10.1 K/9 over 227.2 innings. Now 33 years old, Verlander will enter 2017 once again a coveted fantasy asset after a couple of years in the wilderness.