Justin Verlander is heading to the injured list. Composite Getty Image.
Astros ace Justin Verlander missed his start over the weekend due to neck discomfort, which had many fans concerned. The last Houston pitcher (Cristian Javier) to miss time with the same injury would end up out for the season and having to undergo Tommy John surgery.
Fortunately, it doesn't look like that will be the case for JV, and the team didn't anticipate having to put Verlander on IR. They hoped he would be able to start Thursday's game in Chicago.
But manager Joe Espada told the Astros flagship station on Tuesday that his progress “is slower than we expected.”
Astros manager Joe Espada tells @SportsMT that Justin Verlander’s progress “is slower than we expected.” Thursday’s starter against the White Sox is still TBA.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) June 18, 2024
Fast-forward a few hours and JV is headed to the IL, with Nick Hernandez joining the club from Sugar Land.
Justin Verlander's 15-day IL stint is retroactive to Sunday. https://t.co/7Ys8eLvl6O
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) June 18, 2024
Hopefully, this is just a short stint on the injured list for Verlander. Quite frankly, the Astros are running out of big league caliber starting pitching options.
One has to wonder, how many more injuries the team can sustain in 2024? The injury bug is biting hard, and the club is currently nine games behind Seattle in the AL West.
Up next
Framber Valdez takes the mound for Houston against the White Sox on Tuesday night.
The Athletic's Chandler Rome shares some possibilities the Astros might explore to replace Verlander in the post below.
The Astros could start Spencer Arrighetti on full rest Thursday against the White Sox. Blair Henley, who is on the 40-man roster, is scheduled to pitch for Triple-A on Thursday. Astros could call him up for a spot start or turn it into a bullpen game with Contreras/Hernandez
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) June 18, 2024
Astros’ injury list grows with another season-ending surgery
Jun 26, 2024, 6:02 pm
Houston right-hander J.P. France will have surgery on his throwing shoulder Monday.
France opened the season in the majors but had been optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land and made one start there when he was placed on the injured list in early May.
France resumed throwing recently after being shut down for about a month, but had a setback this week leading to the decision to have surgery. The team did not provide any details about the nature of his surgery in its announcement Wednesday.
France was 0-3 with a 7.46 ERA in five starts for the Astros this season before his demotion.
His injury is the latest in a series of injuries to Houston's starting pitchers this season. The Astros opened the year without Luis Garcia and Lance McCullers because of injuries and José Urquidy and Cristian Javier both had Tommy John surgery earlier this month before ace Justin Verlander landed on the 15-day injured list with neck discomfort.
With only four pitchers currently in the rotation, the club could have really used France with an upcoming schedule that includes ten games in ten days on the road.
And with Garcia not expected back until late July, the Astros will have to get creative with their starters.
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