PALLILO POINTS
Astros fans got a big scare when news broke about Justin Verlander complaining of soreness in his throwing arm. MRI results indicated that Verlander is dealing with a strained lat muscle, and he likely won't be ready to start the season opener.
ESPN 97.5's Charlie Pallilo discusses what this news means for the Astros and how Verlander's absence could impact the team.
ON SECOND THOUGHT
The Astros have assigned left-handed reliever Matt Gage to minor league camp, which means Houston's pitching staff is likely to head into the season without a lefty in the bullpen.
Ronel Blanco and Seth Martinez are expected to be the last two pitchers in the Astros bullpen now that Gage isn't expected to fill a spot on the club. With the Astros playing so many games in the month of April, could we see Blanco or Martinez making some starts with Lance McCullers still on the shelf?
Plus, should the Astros check in on Yuli Gurriel for some depth considering his versatility and the loss of Jose Altuve for the first couple months of the season? Gurriel still hasn't been added to the Marlins 40-man roster, which means he can opt out of his deal on Saturday if nothing changes.
Based on how things played out for Carlos Correa, the guys aren't very confident the Astros would change their stance on Yuli. But you never know.
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