Houston Astros ace Justin Verlander remains a top starter when healthy, even at 41 years old.
He proved as much last year, by posting a 3.22 ERA in 162.1 innings between the New York Mets and the Astros.
However, he has been trying to fend off a bout of shoulder soreness for a few weeks now.
It happened earlier in the offseason, and while he feels better now, the Astros aren’t going to take any risks and will have him start the season on the injured list.
“Justin Verlander will be on the IL to begin the season, manager Joe Espada said. Verlander hasn’t had any setbacks, but he needs more time in his build up. ‘He’s doing well, but we’re running out of days and won’t be able to build him up to start the regular season,’ he said,” Astros insider Brian McTaggart tweeted, with quotes from Espada.
Justin Verlander will be on the IL to begin the season, manager Joe Espada said. Verlander hasn’t had any setbacks, but he needs more time in his build up.
“He’s doing well, but we’re running out of days and won’t be able to build him up to start the regular season,” he said.
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) March 5, 2024
The good news for Astros fans is that the veteran right-hander is past his injury: he feels better.
But the pitcher himself warned in mid-February that he was a couple of weeks behind due to the offseason scare.
He just needs a few more days to complete his throwing program and get up to speed before he can rejoin the rotation.
There is no point in trying to rush him to have him ready to go when camp breaks for him to re-injure the area later down the road.
In these cases, particularly with pitchers his age, taking things slow is the best advice.
The Astros, more than ever, need Verlander to stay relatively healthy for most of the season if they want to take the crown from the Texas Rangers.
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