"This is why baseball fell off, let him continue the game" "The downside of coming back from Tommy John" - MLB Twitter disappointed after Justin Verlander exits game amid a no-hitter bid

Justin Verlander continues to prove that Father Time does not exist in his world. The 39-year-old Houston Astros starter took a no-hitter into the sixth inning during last night's start against the Minnesota Twins, exiting the game with 91 pitches.

It is unfortunate Verlander did not see the game completely through. There is nothing less satisfying than when a pitcher exits a game prematurely with a no-hitter in progress. However, Verlander is coming back from injury, and the Astros need to make sure he is 100% healthy for this year's playoffs.

Verlander is in his 17th MLB season, and he is still dominating the league. Through 23 starts, he is currently 16-3 with a league-leading 1.87 ERA and just a 0.846 WHIP. He also has 148 strikeouts and is holding opponents to just a .188 batting average through 149 innings pitched. Justin Verlander has been so good, in fact, that some fans have accused him of using PEDs.

Keep in mind that this season comes after Verlander missed a year due to Tommy John surgery. He has not pitched a complete season since 2019, when he won the second Cy Young Award of his career. If Verlander keeps it up in his final few starts, he is very likely to earn his third Cy Young Award after this season.

Verlander has been the driving force of an elite Houston Astros pitching rotation this season. The Astros are looking to reach their fourth World Series in six seasons, and win their second crown in that span. They are also looking to prove themselves after the 2017 scandal that exposed them for cheating.

Justin Verlander has had a Hall of Fame career

Texas Rangers v Houston Astros

Justin Verlander has had an outstanding career in Major League Baseball and will likely be inducted into the Hall of Fame once he retires. Verlander is the active wins and strikeouts leader with 242 and 3,161, respectively. He also has a career 3.26 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP in 3,137 innings pitched.

His efforts have earned him nine All-Star appearances and the 2011 ERA title. Along with his two Cy Young Awards, Verlander won an MVP award after pitching a triple crown season in 2011. On top of all of this, he is a 2017 World Series champion with the Houston Astros.

All of these accolades and numbers rank among some of the greatest pitchers of all time. It is not a question of if but when Justin Verlander will be inducted into the Hall of Fame.