CAST OF CHARACTERS
THE ROTATION
54 MIKE FIERS 8-10 · 146 STRIKEOUTS · 5.22 ERA · 1.43 WHIP
With all the stints on the disabled list among the starting rotation, the righthander led the pitching staff with 28 starts. Over 10 starts from May 30-July 21, he went 6-2 with a 2.36 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 61 innings.
43 LANCE McCULLERS 7-4 · 132 STRIKEOUTS · 4.25 ERA · 1.30 WHIP
A stellar first half (7-2, 3.05 ERA) included AL Pitcher of the Month honors in May, but back discomfort hampered him in the second half. He rebounded in the playoffs, throwing four shutout innings to close the Game 7 ALCS clincher over the Yankees and beating the Dodgers in Game 3 of the World Series.
41 BRAD PEACOCK 13-2 · 161 STRIKEOUTS · 3.00 ERA · 1.19 WHIP
Effective as a starter and reliever, the righthander led the AL with an .867 winning percentage, second highest in club history. He registered an 11-out save in Game 3 of the World Series and threw two scoreless innings in the Game 7 clincher over the Dodgers.
60 DALLAS KEUCHEL 14-5 · 125 STRIKEOUTS · 2.90 ERA · 1.12 WHIP
The lefthander posted his third career season with double-digit wins and an ERA under 3.00 in at least 20 starts despite two DL stints attributable to neck woes. The AL Pitcher of the Month in April, he beat the Red Sox in Game 2 of the ALDS and shut down the Yankees in the ALCS opener.
50 CHARLIE MORTON 14-7 · 163 STRIKEOUTS · 3.62 ERA · 1.19 WHIP
Signed as a free agent, the righthander posted career highs in wins and strikeouts and emerged a postseason hero, winning two Game 7s, the first with five scoreless innings against the Yankees and the second with four sparkling innings of relief to finish off the Dodgers.
35 JUSTIN VERLANDER 5-0 · 43 STRIKEOUTS · 1.06 ERA · 0.65 WHIP
Acquired from the Tigers in an Aug. 31 deal, he went 15-8 combined for Detroit and Houston with 219 strikeouts, the seventh time he reached the 200 plateau. He won two games (one in relief) in the ALDS and two more in the ALCS, including a 2-1 Game 2 victory over the Yankees in which he went the distance.