The SI.com Debate Series pits two of our writers against one another on opposing sides of a decision many fantasy owners will face during their drafts. In this installment, Michael Beller and Kaelen Jones debate two legitimate aces at opposite ends of their careers: Justin Verlander and Aaron Nola.
Michael Beller makes the case for Verlander over Nola…
A few years ago, I was just like everyone else. I thought Justin Verlander was done. In 2014, a 31-year-old Verlander pitched to a 4.54 ERA and 1.40 WHIP in 206 innings. He struck out just 159 batters, and his strikeout rate reached a career low 17.