Leyland on JV's Cy Young chances: 'I think he's got a shot'

Manager Jim Leyland thinks that his ace, Justin Verlander, still has a shot at repeating as the American League Cy Young winner. But Tampa Bay’s David Price made it a whole lot tougher with his 13-strikeout, complete-game performance at Fenway Park on Tuesday. Price came into Wednesday’s game leading MLB in ERA (2.56; Verlander is 2nd in the AL with 2.76) and tops in the AL with 19 wins.

“I don’t really know. I think he’s got a shot. I think if he wins another start, he’s got a shot,” Leyland said. “I think if David Price wins on Sunday, I believe it is, Saturday or Sunday, which I hope he does, that’d be his 20th win.”

Price’s Rays will be in Chicago for a key four-game series, starting Thursday, and Leyland’s Tigers would gladly take help from Tampa Bay’s stellar rotation.

According to the WAR (wins above replacement) statistic, however, Verlander is a no-brainer to win again. He’s at 7.2 in Baseball Reference’s formula, second-best in all of baseball behind only the Angels’ Mike Trout (10.5), while Price is tied for second among AL pitchers at 6.2.

Verlander came into the day leading the AL in innings pitched (231.1), strikeouts (231) and complete games (six). He's third in opponents batting average against (.219) and fourth in strikeouts per nine innings (9.0).