ASTROS NEWS
Astros manager provides encouraging update on Houston's ace Justin Verlander
Apr 4, 2024, 3:02 pm
Fans can watch Verlander pitch in Sugar Land this Sunday. Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images.
Houston ace Justin Verlander is scheduled to make his first rehabilitation start at Triple-A Sugar Land Sunday.
The 41-year-old Verlander, who opened the season on the injured list with inflammation in his right shoulder, will throw a bullpen session Thursday in Houston before making his start this weekend.
Manager Joe Espada said he expects this to be the first of two minor league starts Verlander will make before he comes off the injured list.
“Just based on what I’ve seen and out of his live BPs and how he’s talking about how he feels, I think two starts... should be good enough,” Espada said.
Espada said they want Verlander to throw 70-75 pitches on Sunday and get up 85-90 in the following start.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner is in his second stint in Houston after rejoining the team in a trade with the New York Mets in July.
He went 13-8 with a 3.22 ERA in 27 starts for the Mets and Astros last season.
It’s starting to look like the Astros knew exactly what they were doing.
What once felt like a risky move is quickly shaping up to be a win for Houston — and maybe a defining pivot point for the franchise. In this episode, we dig into how the Astros may actually be better off in the wake of the Kyle Tucker trade, thanks to a new wave of production and smart roster-building.
Cam Smith continues to rise with another eye-catching performance, launching two home runs and making the case that he’s already ahead of schedule. Meanwhile, Isaac Paredes has quietly emerged as a legitimate successor to Alex Bregman, offering power and presence in the infield.
And while Jeremy Peña wasn’t part of the Tucker deal, his 2024 resurgence adds even more fuel to the argument that this team is thriving — not surviving. The Astros aren’t just plugging holes. They’re planning for what’s next.
We also look at the bigger picture: What if Houston had moved on earlier from other aging or underperforming stars? Could they have been ahead of the curve even sooner?
So who’s really winning this breakup — the Astros or Kyle Tucker? We break it all down.
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