Justin Verlander is slated to make a rehab start for Triple-A Sugar Land today, marking his first game action since June 9. Astros manager Joe Espada told reporters (including Matt Kawahara and Matt Young of the Houston Chronicle) that the loose plan is for Verlander to throw three innings or 50 pitches in the first of what is expected to be a two-outing rehab stint, though there’s plenty of fluidity built in as the 41-year-old ace works his way back from a neck strain.
If all goes well, Verlander would likely be activated for the start of the Astros’ series with the Orioles that begins on August 22. Verlander would become the sixth member of a six-man rotation Houston is planning to deploy during a busy stretch of the schedule, as after receiving three off-days within the first 15 days of August, the Astros then play every day from August 16 through September 2. Assuming Verlander returns in his usual top-of-the-rotation form, he’ll be a giant boost to a Houston team that is battling the Mariners for the AL West title, and will again be looking to make another deep playoff run. Between this neck problem and a season-opening bout of shoulder inflammation, Verlander has been limited to 57 innings in his 19th Major League season, but he has a solid 3.95 ERA when available to pitch.
More from around the AL West…
- Julio Rodriguez hasn’t played July 21 due to a high ankle sprain, but the Mariners outfielder has been taking part in some moderate-intensity running exercises as part of his recovery process. Manager Scott Servais told MLB.com and other media earlier this week that Rodriguez’s injury is viewed as a day-to-day situation by the team, as Rodriguez might be activated from the 10-day injured list without the need for a rehab assignment. “The swinging really isn’t the issue, from what [Rodriguez] said. It’s just more of the running and trying to get up to speed and taking the turns, things like that,” Servais noted. As such, Seattle could try using Rodriguez as a designated hitter if the team wants to take it easy on his ankle. The uncertain nature of high ankle sprains and the lack of a timetable makes it unclear when J-Rod might be back in action, but it could technically be as early as this coming week if he shows quick improvement and is able to run passably well.
- Jacob deGrom threw a live batting practice on Thursday, with Rangers skipper Bruce Bochy telling reporters (including Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News) that deGrom will have another live BP session during the Rangers’ upcoming August 12-14 series in Boston. This is the first time deGrom had faced live hitters during his rehab from a June 2023 Tommy John surgery, and the four-time All-Star remains on pace with the standard 13-14 month recovery timeline. Since he’ll have a third bullpen session and then a minor league rehab assignment, deGrom might not return to the Texas roster before the end of August, but the veteran should be able to log some big league innings before 2024 is out, and gain some peace of mind about his health heading into the offseason.
Over/under 150 more career innings for DeGrom? Verlander?
DeGrom- over. Verlander- could go either way
Combined maybe
Over /under kylegocougs gets muted in the next 30 seconds?
Under.
Muted
Ok
Mickey, the black light patrol has checked your Trevor Bauer posters on your wall. You are guilty.
Boom hahahaha. Nice. Love when Bauer simps get owned.
What does that even mean
It means he is in love with Bauer and jerks on poster
Come on man
His peak was something to behold but with less than 1400 IP atm is it really a foregone conclusion deGrom gets in the HOF?
He gets in because of his peak, but probably not as a first ballot guy.
@Gmen— I think he needs at least another couple of years more. Hopefully he still got some thing left in the tank
He needs quite a bit more to make it into the HOF. He’s no where close according to BR Hall of Fame monitor. For reference, Adam Wainwright is as good if not better at this point. He doesn’t get in without a few more full dominant seasons.
“Few more full dominant seasons”
..I tend to agree, but I will say an amazing, dominant post season run could trump all that and put Degrom in the Hall. It seemingly worked for Sandy Koufax. Outside of an Uber dominant postseason run, I can’t see Degrom getting in the HOF without at least two(possibly 3)more full dominant seasons.
Being a dominant post season pitcher AND winning 200+ games doesn’t guarantee HOF, look no further than Schilling. DeGrom sure hasn’t got Schill’s numbers.
“Look no further than Schilling”…Curt Schilling would easily be in the HOF if he could learn to keep his mouth shut or at least keep his politics to himself.
If he can come back healthy and at least put up a couple of great years (like his pre-CY Young years) he has a good case.
As things stand now? Nope.
Koufax is the guy people point to when talking about short careers making it into the hall and he still has 1000 more than Degrom.
Currently his peak looks a lot like Johan Santana who only got 10 votes and fell then off the ballot.
Anyone who looks at deGrom’s career to date and considers it a foregone conclusion he gets in the HOF is fooling themselves.
I was mainly referring to the pundits as I’ve heard of him called a ‘future HOFer’ several times. Fwiw I agree with most and don’t think he’s currently done it long enough to warrant it
I think so. Sandy Koufax is considered to be one of the best pitchers ever and his career was very short. He did go 2300 innings but that was when there were four man rotations and pitchers pitched deep into games.
This comment is in reply to Gmen. Not sure what I did there.
Pretty great comparison.
I’d love for JDG to get in but I think he falls short of counting stats now. Two more dominant years and he’ll get serious consideration.
Verlander won’t have enough innings for the Mets to be responsible for next season’s contract. The Mets tried hard to re-sign deGrom and if they did it would have cost them $80mil in lost salary due to Tommy John surgery. Like it or not the Mets save just about $97mil in dead salary
Verlander back to the Tigers next year for one last hurrah where it all started. Book it 😉
Of course the Astros get another purchased star player back as they try to win their garbage division by default and they’ll probably extend their cheating ALCS streak due to the pathetic nature of the horrid AL West. And yes it’s won the last 2 World Series but this year it’s terrible.
Mariners are going to win the AL West. And if there’s one team people should trust, it’s the Mariners
You’re joking right? The Angels have a better shot than the worst offensive team in recent memory, the Mariners.
Hating on the Astros, free agency, and the AL West while also acknowledging the division’s back-to-back World Series titles is…well, it’s something.
Who are all these “purchased star players” of whom you speak ?
Verlander. Hader. Pressly. Kikuchi.
Not HOF material but fun to watch.
I am a fan of deGrom. My friend is not. He is quick to point out that if the 36 year old deGrom stays healthy, in 2026, he will reach 255 career starts equalling the number of career complete games by Bob Gibson. I don’t have a good response to that one.
Wow. Those stats make Degrom seem far from worthy of the HOF. I think he’ll end up settling for the Hall of pretty darn good, small sample size division.
Gibson played basketball at Creighton, had a stint with the Globetrotters, was a really good hitter, and one of the best pitchers of all time. I don’t think he gets his due sometimes as one of the greatest athletes we’ve ever seen.
This is where 100% guaranteed contracts suck. Theze guys are done and have to continually rehab to get their checks. Don’t blame them.