Justin Verlander’s PHENOMENAL comeback after 1-year puts him against legendary NHL player Mario Lemieux 

<strong>Justin Verlander’s PHENOMENAL comeback after 1-year puts him against legendary NHL player Mario Lemieux </strong>

Justin Verlander and Mario Lemieux [Image Credit: Sports Illustrated/IHeart]

The New York Mets pitcher Justin Verlander’s extraordinary feat of winning his 3rd American League Cy Young Award placed him up with the legendary NHL player Mario Lemieux. The future Hall of Famer’s incredible feat with the Houston Astros was glorified further as he took a year’s break from the field.

Verlander not only became the superstar of MLB but also in sports history, in general. Lemieux and the 9x All-Star are the only 2nd player in North American sports history to win an MVP award unanimously after a year of illness, according to OptaStats. 

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He won the World Series with the Astros prior to his $86.7 million signing with the Mets for 2 years, as per MLB.com. In the 2021 season, he underwent Tommy John surgery. The only player to ever accomplish such a feat is Lemieux, who also underwent radiation due to Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, missing the 1994-94 season.

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Justin Verlander lands on the same page as Mario Lemieux

Mario Lemieux and Justin Verlander [Image Credit: Pittsburg Magazine/ Houston Astros - Twitter]
Mario Lemieux and Justin Verlander [Image Credit: Pittsburg Magazine/ Houston Astros – Twitter]

Pittsburg Penguins legend Mario Lemieux set the ice on fire, and NHL in general in his 1995-96 return. He showed no signs of weakness as he posted 69 goals, and 161 points, leading the National Hockey League. He won the Hart Trophy as the league’s Most Valuable Player. 

Just like him, Justin Verlander snatched his Cy Young award unanimously, along with Miami Marlins Sandy Alcantara. This was the first time where two players won the votes unanimously since 1968. Lemieux was bathed in applause after his return on ice.

Even his teammates were surprised by his fiery return. Lemieux stated,  “Every time you have an injury like this or cancer or anything like this, you have to have a lot of courage, and if you don’t, you won’t win the battle”. “But it’s in my nature to fight back.”

One of the most praised accomplishments was the return of the Russian forward Ivan Miroshnichenko, as he also suffered and fought back the same illness that plagued the Penguins’ legendary player. Lemieux contacts him, encouraging the young soul to fight back and return to the sport which he loves. Ivan acknowledged that Lemieux’s encouragement was a big part of his return.

As per MLB.com, Verlander stated after winning the award, “I will always kind of remember this Cy Young as looking back at the growth of me as a father, as a person and also the rehab and all the hard work that went into the rehab…” 

“…and how I was just so committed to [the idea that] it was going to go well and I was going to come back and be me. To actually have it happen will be something I will always remember in all those great moments in my life the last couple of years.”

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