HOUSTON -- Right-hander Justin Verlander helped the Astros set an American League record on Saturday night for most strikeouts in a season by a club's starters with 1,069 to eclipse the Indians' mark of 1,066 in 2017.
Verlander, who leads the AL in strikeouts with a career-high 280 after racking up 11 over six strong innings on Saturday, gave the Astros the record with a fifth-inning punchout of the Angels' Taylor Ward for his ninth strikeout of the game. For good measure, Verlander got the next batter, Kaleb Cowart, to strike out swinging to end the inning with Houston holding a 1-0 lead.