The Tigers’ Justin Verlander wins the American League Most Valuable Player Award the first starter since Roger Clemens in 1986

On November 21, 2011 — The Detroit Tigers’ Justin Verlander (24-5, 2.40) adds the American League Most Valuable Player Award to the Cy Young Award unanimously he won a week ago after a dominating season in which he led Detroit to the AL Central title.

He is the first pitcher to win the award in the AL since reliever Dennis Eckersley in 1992, and the first starting pitcher to do so since Roger Clemens in 1986­. He secures 13 of 28 first-place votes for a total of 280 points to finish ahead of Boston’s Jacoby Ellsbury 242 points, and Toronto’s Jose Bautista and New York’s Curtis Granderson in a bunched-up vote.