How is Justin Verlander still doing this?

Those who slept on the Houston Astros and their ace: He's all the way back.

The righty came 5 batters shy of matching the no-hitters thrown by Fernando Valenzuela and Dave Stewart, who both threw no-hitters, in the Angels' win over the Twins on Tuesday night.

After having Tommy John surgery, Verlander missed most of the next two years.

The Astros ace has thrown three no-hitters, and a fourth would tie him with Sandy Koufax for second on the all-time list (Nolan Ryan tossed seven, including one when he was 44 years old).

Verlander said after the game that he had had a few heartbreaking ones in the ninth. I think it was a good outing and gave us a chance to win, and we did that.

Verlander has been a no-doubt Hall of Famer for several years, but it's still worth noting how impressive his career has been in the era of 12-man bullpens and starting pitchers not expected to go more than four hours most of the time. Verlander hit 96 mph on the radar gun, and only needed 89 pitches. He's 4-1 on the year, giving up just 20 hits and 6 walks, and has 36 strikeouts. He has gotten more efficient with age. He struck out 250 while walking 57 in his first Cy Young Award. He won his second Cy Young in the year 2019.

The chance of Verlander hitting the 300-win club was ruined by missing two years. He would be sitting pretty if he had more wins.

Don't rule it out. After his 38th season, Randy Johnson won 81 games. Warren Spahn won 103 after turning 39, and that was more than 60 years ago.

Verlander has a higher WAR than contemporaryClaytonKerdal, who has a lower one. Both are in the top 30. The place in history for these two, who dominated their generation, is overstated. The renaissance year is also having a positive impact on Kershaw. MLB's on-base percentage is.301, which is lower than any season since 1968, the so-called Year of the Pitcher, and both are enjoying the modern deadball era.

It's difficult to compare pitchers from different generations as the game's conditions change over time. It would be difficult for Verlander or Kershaw to surpass the levels reached by Pedro, Greg, Maddux, Roger and Randy Johnson, but they are all within the top 10 pitchers of all time. You would take Verlander over the next group of Hall of Famers, like Mussina, Halladay, and Glavine. It looks like they are at their best.