Is it time to panic in Detroit? Maybe not about the whole team -- the Royals are hot and the Tigers are not and those things go back and forth all year -- but Justin Verlander is definitely giving Tigers fans cause for concern.
Verlander was tagged for seven runs in six innings by the Royals. He allowed only one hit over the first three innings, but as has become custom for the former MVP, things blew up in the middle innings. Here it was the fifth, where he have up four runs on six hits. And it could’ve been worse but for Billy Butler being thrown out at home to end the inning. Verlander gave up three more runs in the sixth. His earned run totals over his past seven starts: 7, 7, 5, 3, 6, 5, 5.
As of now, Verlander’s ERA -- 4.98 -- is 91st among 99 qualifiers in the majors this year. While, according to the eye-test anyway, Verlander looks normal, something is definitely not right, be it mechanical, physical or mental.