The Houston Astros are back in the World Series. Following another World Series defeat, they are eager to win it all again. Justin Verlander is leading the way for them on the mound following an unreal season.

Verlander is likely going to win the Cy Young Award after posting a phenomenal 1.75 ERA and 0.829 WHIP. His stretch of dominance was put into perspective by Anthony Castrovince of MLB Network, who shared a stat that showed just how long his time as a high-quality pitcher has been.

“Justin Verlander will join Roger Clemens as the only pitchers ever to start a World Series game in three different decades,” writes Castrovince. Clemens made his starts with the 1986 Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees of the late 1990s and early 2000s and, coincidentally, the Houston Astros of 2005.

Article Continues Below

Verlander pitched in the 2006 and 2012 World Series with the Detroit Tigers (losing both times) before achieving the ultimate glory with the Houston Astros in 2017. Since he missed last season entirely, this year's fall classic against the Philadelphia Phillies will make it the third decade to feature a World Series appearance in Verlander's remarkable career.

The Astros have a lot of depth behind Verlander in both the rotation and the bullpen. It will be a fascinating matchup between the Astros and Phillies as Verlander deals with a loaded Phillies lineup headlined by Bryce Harper.