The Astros should have their ace, Justin Verlander, at 100 percent when spring training resumes. The club expects Verlander, who underwent groin surgery in March, to be a full participant in camp, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports.
Along with the groin issue, Verlander also dealt with a lat strain in March. It’s, of course, unusual for physical problems to weigh down the 37-year-old Verlander, a longtime workhorse who turned in a whopping 12th 200-inning season in 2019 en route to his second American League Cy Young Award and eighth All-Star nod. In all, he fired 223 frames of 2.58 ERA ball with 12.11 K/9 and 1.7 BB/9 to help the Astros to another AL West title and league pennant.
Verlander formed a near-untouchable trio with righty Gerrit Cole and trade deadline acquisition Zack Greinke last season, but Cole left to join the rival Yankees in free agency on a record-setting contract worth $324MM over nine seasons. Verlander and Greinke are all the more important to the Astros with Cole out of the picture, and the team’s rotation also lost another veteran in lefty Wade Miley over the winter. But the Astros will at least get Lance McCullers Jr. back from Tommy John surgery this year. He’ll help Verlander and Greinke lead a staff that’s otherwise low on proven major league options.
pinkerton
He should partcipate, he’s a pitcher.
And a tool
detroitfan69
And a first ballot Hall of Famer
Ejemp2006
He might just be unanimous if he continues to pitch at an elite level for two more years, then drops to above average for three or four more years, and finally finishes with a two year below average glory tour back in Detroit.
He’d be the last pitcher who’ll get to 300 wins.
jonnyzuck
that’s a lot for a guy who’s currently 37
Melchez
Won’t be unanimous. Look at his World Series record. 0 and 6 with an era over 5. He should make first ballot, but no way unanimous.
He’s 37 and at 225 wins. He will need 4 more strong years or 6 good years. Not sure he can do it.
Rudy Zolteck
Lol man’s using wins
Ejemp2006
Last I checked, they play the game to win. So counting wins is still probably important.
Rudy Zolteck
Team wins done by the team =/= pitcher wins assessing his ability
johnrealtime
Wins are a terrible indicator of player skill or value but it does matter with HoF voters. He won’t be unanimous no matter what though, if maddux wasn’t then I don’t see how verlander would be
Ejemp2006
Wins are not the best indicator of pitching performance but they are not terrible. It’s just become fashionable to discount them as an important stat.
Tim_Buck-Two
Last time wins were an important stat for a pitcher is when Ken Bottenfield was traded for Jim Edmonds because he won 18 games that year. I wouldn’t take Dakota Hudson over Jack Flaherty just because Hudson won more games
pc01
Exactly right. Whether those of us on message boards care about wins or not – the HOF will always care about counting stats and big round numbers.
Melchez
People who don’t care about wins are losers.
LouisianaAstros
Hopefully we have found some new ways to cheat
Another World Series run lined up
Tim_Buck-Two
Yes hopefully you have that way when you get caught again for being stupid you get fined 5 million more and lose some more draft picks on top of losing every home game to the Washinton Nationals cause those buzzers worked out so well last year
Allen Adams
Lance McCullers 2020 Cy Young winner
Rangers29
Mike Minor was a baller in the first half last season, and not even being a homer a expect big things from him. Shane Bieber is someone I like in a short season. But here is a lesser known pitcher (Indians yet again), Zach Plesac. Plesac had a good 19′ season, he doesn’t strike out many, but he does give up contact (mostly soft), slightly home run prone, though I think he can adapt to a non-juiced-ball. Plesac would be my 1,000 to 1 Cy Young guy to go for this short season.
Tom E. Snyder
At least comeback player of the year.
Logjammer D"Baggagecling
Jr. or Sr.?
Vooorheez
Funny how we’re still calling it Spring Training a month into summer.
30 Parks
Great to hear Verlander will be back and whining at full strength when the season starts.
NoviScott
JV is such a competitor that I believe he is rushing himself back. He has not faired well when coming back from an injury. He will have a 90mph fastball and/or get hurt during this shortened season. I really hope this doesn’t happen but too many ?’s.
shortytallz
This article leaves out JV’s new cheating plans for this year. Odd.
bucketbrew35
Well the entire site has failed to even mention the Yankees sign sealing scandal about to be revealed to the public. Even though it had no issues covering the Red Sox and Astros scandals from top to bottom as well as every domestic violence case in the league. So what does that tell you? I would love to hear the BS excuse as to why that isn’t even being touched.
Logjammer D"Baggagecling
I wouldn’t expect anything less from Justin Upton Verlander.
Don’t care that he didn’t cheat. He lost his man care for being on the team so he’s now Mr Kate Upton