The Astros have placed Justin Verlander on 10-day injured list due to a forearm strain and selected the contract of right-hander Brandon Bielak, MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart tweets. Houston has also optioned infielder Taylor Jones to alternate camp and recalled right-hander Nivaldo Rodriguez.
Verlander yesterday publicly denied a report that he’s expected to miss the rest of the 2020 season with the injury, tweeting that he is hopeful rest will heal the current issue and allow him to return. For now, Verlander won’t throw for at least two weeks and will be re-evaluated after that shutdown. In his absence, a once-formidable rotation now looks vulnerable. Lance McCullers Jr. was sharp in his return effort from Tommy John surgery, and veteran Zack Greinke is remains a high-end option. But the options beyond that pair include Framber Valdez, Josh James and several other largely unproven names (Bielak among them).
Bielak, 24, was the Astros’ 11th-round pick back in 2017 and currently ranks in the top half to top third of the team’s 30 best prospects. He split the 2019 season between Double-A and Triple-A, pitching to a combined 4.22 ERA with 8.8 K/9, 3.7 BB/9, 1.0 HR/9 and a 46 percent ground-ball rate. Both MLB.com and FanGraphs label him as a potential fourth/fifth starter in their reports on him, noting that he lacks a true plus pitch but has average across-the-board offerings, a durable frame and history of throwing strikes.
Rodriguez, 23, might not have gotten the call in a normal season, as he’s never pitched above A-ball. However, the Astros are more limited in their choices, so he’ll jump straight to the big leagues on the heels of last year’s 2.40 ERA, 9.8 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 in 105 frames between Class-A and Class-A Advanced.
At first I was like 10-days sounds better than the whole season, but now I’m realizing the season is probably over.
Did he strain his forearm banging on trashcans?
Thankyouverymuchandgoodnight.
Nope. He did it putting on the World Series ring baby!! Choke on that!
the ring doesn’t count, choke on that asterisk baby!
Didn’t choke. It tasted GREAT!!! And so did eliminating your Yankees!
Did you see Alex Bregman up yesterday one run down with two outs and a man on second in the bottom of the 9th? Wiffed on a 3-2 slider. Looked like he was swinging a balloon animal. It helps to know what pitch it coming I guess.
did you see the astros put up 8, 7 and 6 runs in their first three games, and they’re 3rd in baseball in team runs scored? it helps to know what you’re talking about when posting comments I guess.
wow, Bregman got out once. that means he can’t hit without cheating. good grief some of you guys are obsessed with the Stros.
I think even the most vehement Astros critic expects them to beat the Mariners. And let’s face it. They’ve faced triple A pitching so far. Doubtful they will contend now that the playing field is more level.
They are facing a guy who has not pitched in 2 and a half years. There would be something wrong of they didn’t hit Graveman hard today. they have faced some very bad pitchers so far.
What happens if you’re wrong, Beisbolista? Will you own up to it? Because we shall see.
Did you see Bregman take it deep last night for what would be the game winner? Can’t hide greatness!!!
Even missing 2 or 3 weeks of the season it probably puts any hopes the Astros had of making the postseason and any deep run into the playoffs in jeopardy.
You do know that 8 teams from the AL are making the playoffs?
Need to call old friend Mike Elias and move on Alex Cobb. Two pictures of Kate Upton should do it I think.
Anyone else notice how thin players look this year? I’m curious if Covid fears eliminated steroid use?
why would those two things have anything to do with each other?
You obviously know nothing. Read a book!
As much as I dislike the Astros*, I dislike players being injured even more.
That even extends to pompous, holier-than-thou, hypocritical players like Verlander.
This does not matter as the season is going to be cancelled no later than Wednesday. I called this- all this trouble- time, money and effort to play two games. Look at MLB the show- why can’t MLB just feed everything in a computer and feed us simulated games until COVID is over. This might be amusing especially if you incorporate players reacting to the performance of their computer generated selfs.
yeah no way. if this would cancel the season then why did it even start? surely the league accounted for this.
This Nivaldo Rodriguez kid looks like he could really be a solid bullpen arm for the Astros. He’s put up some pretty impressive stats in his brief minor league career — mostly as a starter — so you might even expect his K numbers to increase with a full-time move to the pen as well. That is of course, assuming that’s where he’s headed and not straight to the rotation at 22
i wonder if they’ll try and slide Bailey into that spot or if they expect to give it to Bielak.
Roland are in the Astros are in denial. This always happens when an ace ends up needing Tommy John they’re just hoping in a couple weeks it’ll all go away. Then they will have a renowned doctor examined him then when the doctor says Tommy John they will want to get a second opinion then when the second opinion concurs with the first opinion then we will want a third opinion. The Yankees were smart with Severino the second one doctor said Tommy John they got the surgery done but with cell they had to get three doctors to all say the same thing and with both of those guys it was originally diagnosed as “forearm strain“.
Translate please for the gibberish impaired.
I hate to ask the obvious but where is Forrest Whitley?
TJ in the horizon. Hate the Astros but he’s been quite the stud for them.
They’ll sign Folty by tomorrow.