The Astros appear to be on the cusp of getting Cy Young frontrunner Justin Verlander back. Manager Dusty Baker tells reporters that while nothing is finalized yet, the organization’s tentative plan is for Verlander to return on Friday (Twitter link via Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle). Verlander hasn’t pitched since departing his Aug. 29 start after three innings due to what would eventually be diagnosed as “fascial disruption” in his calf.
If he indeed returns Friday, it’ll go down as an 18-day absence for Verlander — a near-best case scenario for an injury that, as acknowledged by the pitcher himself in the wake of his IL placement, could have sidelined him through a portion of the postseason had it been even marginally more severe.
[Related: The Changing Landscape of the American League Cy Young Race]
The 39-year-old Verlander has had nothing short of a remarkable season in his return from 2020 Tommy John surgery — not only reestablishing himself as a high-quality starter but resurfacing as a bona fide ace with a legitimate chance at his third Cy Young Award. Missing even a couple of starts could prove a deciding factor, particularly with Dylan Cease and Alek Manoah surging late in the season, but Verlander’s 1.84 ERA still tops American League pitchers. He’s now fallen to 18th in the league in innings pitched, however, narrowing any lead he might have previously held over the field. He’s also returning without a minor league rehab stint, so it’s at least possible the ’Stros will be a little more cautious than usual with his workload in his first outing.
The extent to which Verlander is able to bounce back from this calf issue will be telling with regard to the Cy Young race, though the team focus is surely just on having him built up to full strength for their now-inevitable postseason run. With 20 games left to play and a 12.5-game lead in the AL West, Houston hasn’t mathematically clinched the division crown, but that’s a fait accompli at this juncture. The Astros have the best record in the American League and the second-best record in baseball, trailing only the Dodgers, positioning them for a first-round bye in this year’s newly expanded 12-team playoff format.
That will give Houston the luxury of lining up the rotation however the team deems fit. Assuming he’s at full strength, Verlander would be the obvious choice to take the ball in Game 1 of the American League Division Series, likely to be followed by lefty Framber Valdez, who figures to get some down-ballot recognition in this year’s Cy Young voting himself. With Lance McCullers Jr. back on the active roster and 25-year-old righties Cristian Javier and Luis Garcia each pitching well (Javier, in particular) — the Astros are deep in options for their postseason rotation.
Verlander is just built different.
A bit like me
Don’t forget Jose Urquidy and Hunter Brown.
Christian Vazquez isn’t so bad either. Should be in the rotation as they are always looking to bump him.
Sorry meant Cristian Javier. Vazquez should be in them lineup more however. And Javier should stick in the rotation, and not be bumped to the bullpen.
the issue is that Javier has proven able to work out of the bullpen, the others, not so much
Hunter Brown also work quite a bit out of the pen in AAA this year. I see them taking him for long relief
Christian Vasquez is a Cather, not a pitcher. I’m assuming you mean Christian Javier.
Yes, as you saw above I immediately corrected the name.
Javier’s number are ridiculous and he should not be relegated to the bullpen.
As a Detroit fan, Verlander pitching in the postseason will be the most exciting part of the playoffs for me this year. Would have went to the game on this homestand had he been pitching.
@bigfoot i conquer i watched both wanio and verlander both pitch as rookies in the 06 ws, and though ver lost that game, as a rookie he pitched that game like a hof’er. i’m hoping wanio makes into the hall just so i can say i saw 4 maybe 5 hof’er play in that ws (the 5th guy is rolen, other than wanio being borderline yadi, ver and prince al are sure locks)
Who are you conquering? Oh, wait, you meant concur. Never mind Cheddar.
@coop sorry i suck at spelling and siri brought that up as the correction and it looked right so i went with it lol, but yea i meant to say concur. /s no bleep of you bloody wanker for correcting my english skills (lol)
Any player that takes a mini vacation break down the stretch like he did should not be considered for the Cy. Dylan Cease is still out there grinding and should be rewarded for his season, but the BBWA won’t award it to a player like him. They prefer higher payed players with a better track record of sending thank you gifts that teeter on payola.
JV is the best pitcher in the league. Cease is a good pitcher but another also-ran compared to JV
He’s the best pitcher in Choke City.
0-6 in World Series games and a 5.68 ERA.
.
What does that have to do with the CYA which is a regular season award?
What a joke. So Cease who has never been anywhere (and never will) is your choice? Why don’t you go with Cole, who is still light years away from JV as a pitcher. I saw both on the same staff for 3 years.
So you’re saying that you prefer a pitcher who prioritizes individual achievement over team success???
That is ridiculous.
Refer to the 2016 Cy Young results if you want to see a “pitcher like him” rewarded. The BBWA screwed up badly when they gave the CYA to Rick Porcello instead of Verlander. Cease over Verlander for the CYA would be an equally poor choice.
No. What I’m saying is that Verlander can’t win a big game. Pity the Verlander Fanboy crowd can’t grasp that even when presented stats.
But what you’re saying has nothing to do wth the CYA.
Any big game that is in the playoffs has nothing to do with a regular season award.
Fanboy?? Most of us can appreciate greatness when we see it. As a Yankees fan, I’m capable of recognizing really good players even if they play(ed) for a rival – JV, Altuve, Bregman, Correa, Bogaerts, Papi, Alonso, DeGrom, etc.
You keep changing the point to justify your ranting.
That clearly shows that you realize the absurdity of your initial point.
How does Verlander’s post season record compare to that of Cease?
What? You say that Cease has never been to the post season?
You might want to go back and look at the 2017 ALDS, ALCS, and WS before you start saying he can’t win big games. There’s been more than one occasion of him coming in and “stopping the bleeding” after the Astros lose 2 or 3 straight. Problem is the Astros get very little national playing time so you don’t get to see the intensity he brings to every start. Or the way he councils our younger pitchers on his off days.
Well actually Cease pitched in the postseason last year—and got his ass handed to him.
Well actually Cease pitched in the postseason last year—and got his a** handed to him.
Well Cease did pitch in the postseason last year —and got pounded. I’m not sure he even got out of the second.
guys/gals give no quarter to sliderwithcheese (had to throw a lz ref in) heis just a troll, he comments on many threads with the most f’ed up comments about the team or player that isn’t on his own team. sadly i can’t figure out the team he roots for because unlike him i have a life outside of this site (or trolling for that matter) and i’m not going to waste my time reading every teams mlbtr and seeing if he made another “foot in mouth and head up ahole whatcha talking about boi” comment.
p.s. for all the non or casual tool listeners the head up ahole is a line from the song rosseta stoned which i thought was fitting for slider
Tattletale
..and considering the song was written about Led Zeppelin, it’s a compliment.
@slider piss off, you know nothing about led zeppelin and if your gonna keep up your slimy trolling ways, at least have the decency to keep lz out of your filthy kuntz of a mouth you (bleeping) scumbag.
I tried not to embarrass you but you’ve left me no choice. Not only do I know more about Led Zeppelin than you, I also know more about Tool. You may want to at least edit your post with the correct song title. It’s The Pot, not Rosetta Stoned. Might want to apologize and crawl away now.
@slider aka the dumbfounded dipsh1t (name that tool song i’ll be nice and give you a hint it’s off the album released in 96). i’ll give you that you got me on my song quote, then again i was posting to your drivel when i was listening to rosseta stoned and got my songs crossed (btw i went back and looked up what i posted and yes i quoted the pot so you got me there). anyways have you even seen tool live or lz live (unfortunately for me i was born to late to see lz best band of all time), how about this name this song without google if your a fan, I’ve got some advice for you, little buddy before you point the finger
you should know that I’m the man, If I’m the f’ing man then you’re the f’ing man as well,
so you can point that f’ing finger up your ahole
@brodie- Tool rools!! Catch them live of you haven’t, they’re simply amazing.
@gw i have since 07 i’ve been to 4/5 shows in stl and that’s after mjk said he would never come back to stl thanks to maryland heights pd messing with them after a show back in 01 (for slider 01 was when lateralus was released but hey you knew that already you bloody kuntz) mjk said he would never come back. well tool has come back 5 times just not at riverport (the only outdoor venue in stl which is also in mh) they played mostly at enterprise centers (least i think that’s what there calling it but i still call the place keil) or small venues like slu (chafitz arena) or the suburbs of stl (i went to the show in st.charles mo which is 30mins away from dt). of the 4 shows i went to my only complaint is no eulogy, which sucks because after the last show in march that is the only song i haven’t heard live. bleep this last show they played pushit, the grudge, the patient, opiate, hwp (i can’t really name the song because this post will get flagged but any how wants to know about hwp look up the track listing for aenima and look for a song that starts with h00k3r)
Only edge Cease has is an extra 10 innings. Not enough to overcome Verlander and his .88WHIP
I think Framber Valdez has made a good case with his quality start streak. It’s unfortunate that Verlander is going to overshadow him.
The only category that Cease is beating Verlander in is strikeouts. With almost 3 weeks left of the season Verlander is the front runner. Just like the article says…
Cease has a higher bWAR and a lower opponent BA, but I doubt that will carry much weight compared to all the other statistical categories in which Verlander’s numbers are better.
Astros are poised here looking strong in the AL right now
Yes and water is wet.
Yes and your a .. well, you know the rest 😉
With or without their ace I don’t see the Astros advancing past the Yanksters in the postseason and I am a fan of neither.
@die tbh as a fan of neither as well, unless nyy pulls there head out of there ahole, i don’t see them making it past the wc round or there division
Well Mr BB….Yankee fans hope they will win the division unless there is a terrible collapse, so there won’t be a Wild Card round…..and even the 98 team went into a bit of a funk at the end….so they’re as well positioned right now as they can be….whether they make it past will depend on good pitching, and they have it, and timely hitting……
@rocky i hope your right nyy we’re playing to good early to let it fall apart, but it seems like there trying to blow it and judge is dragging them to oct kicking and screaming. regardless i don’t care who wins the al because my birds are going to win the nl and ws so the rest of the league might as well make golf plans lol. i’m hoping that becomes true but in all honesty if you can get to october anyone has a chance even my birds or who ever wins the alc (which might be weaker than my birds nlc)
Don’t forget the only team to no hit the Yankees this year is the Astros. Also, we are 5-2 over the year against them. There best hitter, probably the best hitter of the entire year in Judge is batting below 200 against the Astros pitching staff. I fully expect to see another Yankees Astros ALCS this year. And it’s going to be a real good series!
I look forward to that series!
Based on what? Absolutely nothing the Yankees have shown would make them seem like the better team.
No one ever said they were. I simply said the Astros are the only team to no hit the Yankees not just once this year, but in over 55 years the Yankees have been no hit 2x. Both by the Astros. What I said is they are both the best teams in there division and should advance to the ALCS making for another very good series. Maybe you should read the entire comment instead of scanning through them before you yourself make a comment.
He’s addressing diehardfriarsfanfromthe619.