ASTROS UPDATE
How latest news about Justin Verlander impacts Opening Day for Astros
Mar 5, 2024, 4:36 pm
Justin Verlander will begin the season on the injured list. Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images.
Houston Astros ace Justin Verlander will open the season on the injured list after dealing with right shoulder inflammation during the offseason, which could jeopardize his conditional $35 million option for 2025.
Astros manager Joe Espada said Tuesday the 41-year-old Verlander hasn't suffered any setbacks but needs more time to become game ready.
“He’s doing very well, but we’re just running out of days here, and we won’t be able to build him up enough to start the season,” Espada told reporters. “It’s just a timing issue. We want to do what’s best for J.V. and our club, and this is what’s best for us right now.”
Verlander hasn't experienced any soreness in his shoulder after bullpen sessions, the manager said. The three-time Cy Young Award winner is expected to throw in the bullpen again on Friday but has yet to face hitters.
“We want to make sure to do it smart and not fast," Espada said. "We need him for the long haul. It’s a long season, and we need a healthy J.V. throughout the season.”
Verlander is expected to return early in the season. He called the injury “a little hiccup’’ in February but said he will be “really cautious on how I’m building up.’’
Verlander signed an $86.67 million, two-year deal with the New York Mets ahead of the 2023 season, then was traded back to Houston on Aug. 2. He helped the Astros win their sixth AL West crown in seven seasons before they lost to Texas in the AL Championship Series.
His deal includes a $35 million conditional player option for 2025 that he can exercise if he has 140 more innings pitched this year and does not have a specified injury that would prevent him from being on the 2025 opening day active roster.
If Verlander exercises his 2025 option, the Mets would send the Astros another $17.5 million in addition to the $35,520,753 they agreed to send Houston at the time of the trade: $4,211,469 last year and $31,309,284 this year. That reduced Verlander’s cost to Houston to $9,999,800 in 2023 and $12,024,049 in 2024.
Looking ahead
With Verlander starting the season on the IL, Framber Valdez will likely start the first game of the season against Gerrit Cole and the Yankees.
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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.