Justin Verlander's last start Sunday against the Red Sox was the fifth of nine in which he lasted five innings or fewer and the eighth of nine in which he allowed three earned runs or more. It was also the last straw as far as my rankings go.
After ranking him first or second at starting pitcher for the first 12 weeks of this season, he's now sixth at the position, behind Clayton Kershaw, Felix Hernandez, Yu Darvish, Cliff Lee and Adam Wainwright. It's not a dramatic downgrade, but for the pitcher widely considered the one worth reaching for in Fantasy over the last couple years, it's a signifcant one. Nobody on the trade market is going to value him at that level anymore, so why should I?
It doesn't mean I've given up on him. The sixth-best starting pitcher is still a surefire ace, and Verlander still has many ace-like qualifities. He's hitting 98 mph with his fastball. The average velocity is a little lower, but it's been rising over his last few starts. Tigers manager Jim Leyland says command is the bigger issue, and he's probably right. Verlander's walks have been up during this little blip.
But the best pitcher in Fantasy shouldn't have any blips of more than a start or two, which is why I think Verlander no longer deserves that level of trust.