ASTROS NEWS
Verlander throws 77 pitches over 4 innings for Astros' Double-A affiliate in 2nd rehab start
Apr 14, 2024, 11:25 am
Justin Verlander is making progress. Composite Getty Image.
Astros ace Justin Verlander pitched four innings Saturday night for Double-A Corpus Christi in what is expected to be his final minor league rehab outing before rejoining Houston's rotation.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner gave up six runs — five earned — and seven hits against the Frisco RoughRiders, a Texas Rangers affiliate. He struck out three, walked one and threw 51 of 77 pitches for strikes.
The 41-year-old Verlander opened the season on the injured list with inflammation in his right shoulder.
Verlander was charged with two wild pitches and two pitch-clock violations. He needed 42 pitches to get through the third as Frisco, aided by two Corpus Christi errors, scored six runs in the inning. But the right-hander retired his final five batters in a 10-3 loss before a crowd of 11,622 at Riders Field.
Verlander allowed six earned runs and struck out six while pitching into the fourth inning of his first rehabilitation start Sunday for Triple-A Sugar Land. He threw 65 pitches in that game.
“Looking for him to feel well the next day and hopefully get him back out pitching for us here pretty soon,” Houston manager Joe Espada said Friday.
Espada has said the Astros don't expect Verlander will need more than two minor league starts before making his season debut for Houston.
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Detroit Tigers (86-76) at Houston Astros (88-73)
- Location: Houston, Minute Maid Park
- Date: Wednesday, 2:32 p.m. EDT
Pitching Matchup:
- Tigers: Tyler Holton (7-2, 2.19 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, 77 strikeouts)
- Astros: Hunter Brown (11-9, 3.49 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 179 strikeouts)
The Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros face off in Game 2 of their AL Wild Card Series, with Detroit leading 1-0 in the best-of-three set. The Tigers can advance to the ALDS with another win, while the Astros will be fighting to extend their postseason run.
Astros Outlook:
Houston, the reigning AL West champions, look to bounce back after dropping the series opener. The Astros have been strong at Minute Maid Park this season, posting a 46-35 home record. They’ve also excelled at keeping opponents in check, with a 38-16 record in games where they haven’t allowed a home run. Yordan Alvarez remains a key figure in the Astros’ lineup, leading the team with 35 homers, while Kyle Tucker has been hot, hitting .400 with three homers over the last 10 games.
You can see the Astros lineup for Game 2 below.
The Astros against pitching chaos: Altuve 4, Tucker 9, Alvarez DH, Bregman 5, Diaz 2, Caratini 3, Peña 6, Heyward 7, McCormick 8
Brown RHP
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) October 2, 2024
Tigers Outlook:
Detroit has been road warriors, going 43-38 away from home, and their pitching staff has been stellar, ranking third in the AL with a 3.62 ERA. Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter have powered the Tigers’ offense, combining for 51 home runs on the season. If the Tigers’ bullpen holds strong again, they could advance to the next round.
Recent Form:
- Astros: 6-4 over their last 10 games, hitting .278 as a team, but they have struggled with a 4.10 ERA.
- Tigers: 7-3 in their last 10, backed by excellent pitching (3.30 ERA), though their offense has only managed a .229 average.
The Astros lead the season series 4-3, but the Tigers carry the momentum as they look to close out the series and move forward in the playoffs.
If you would like to see some reactions to Game 1, check out the videos below.
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