Justin Verlander has allowed five or more runs in five or fewer innings in two of his last three starts.
Verlander seemed to get back on track against the Pirates on Monday, but according to ESPN Stats & Info he has dealt with velocity issues in 2013.
Verlander's average pitch-release velocity from 2009 to 2012 was 95 mph, but this season, that average has dipped to 92.5 mph.
During that same four-year span, Verlander had thrown strikes with his fastball 69 percent of the time. Over his three most recent outings, that rate had dropped to 61 percent.