(81.1), WAR for pitchers (3.3), WHIP (0.713), H/9 Innings (4.8) and BAA (.153). Verlander was named AL Pitcher of the Month for May, his fifth such award. In six starts, he produced a 0.86 ERA and .437 OPS against, allowed nine extra-base hits, while striking out 50 over innings. He started and ended the month by dominating the Yankees—the only lineup in baseball with an OPS over .800—with 20 strikeouts and only one run allowed in innings. On July 8, Verlander was named to his seventh All-Star Game, and his first with the Astros. However, Verlander made his scheduled start on the Sunday before the All-Star Game, and did not pitch in the game. On August 19, Verlander went innings striking out six and giving up four earned runs in a crucial 9–4 victory over the Oakland Athletics. The win was Verlander's 200th career win, becoming the 114th pitcher (and third active pitcher) to reach the milestone, and only the 20th pitcher in Major League history to do so in 412 starts or fewer. On September 10, in his first start in Detroit since being traded, Verlander got the win while allowing two runs on six hits in seven innings pitched. He struck out 10 Tigers batters, giving him 258 strikeouts this season. Verlander and Gerrit Cole became the first teammates to strike out at least 250 batters in the same season since Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling in 2002. Verlander was given many standing ovations during his outing, and Comerica Park played a tribute video showing highlights of his 13 seasons as a Tiger. Verlander tied his career high of 269 strikeouts in a season with an 11-strikeout performance in a 5–4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on September 16. Verlander subsequently set a new career high the next game in a 10–5 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on September 22. Verlander struck out 11 in six innings while only giving up one hit, stretching his career high to 280 strikeouts. Verlander also helped set a new Major League record for the Astros with their 1,069th strikeout by their starters in a season, breaking the mark set by the Cleveland Indians in 2017. Verlander finished the 2018 season with a 16–9 record in 214 innings pitched, and posted a 2.52 ERA with a career-high 290 strikeouts. He posted his lowest ERA since his American League MVP and Cy