Houston Astros on the Verge of signing another sensational star as perfect replacement for the injured veteran
The Houston Astros placed their ace Justin Verlander on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday. According to the team, Verlander is dealing with neck discomfort. The three-time Cy Young winner hasn’t pitched since a 9-7 loss to the Los Angeles Angels in which he allowed four runs.
In a corresponding move, the Astros recalled relief pitcher Nick Hernandez from their Triple-A affiliate El Paso Chihuahuas. In 17 games with Chihuahuas, Hernandez had a 1.90 ERA with 34 strikeouts.
The 2024 campaign is shaping up to be a challenging one for Verlander. He was already on 15-day IL to start the season and missed three weeks with shoulder inflammation before making his season debut. He played 10 games since, going 3-2 with a 3.95 ERA and 51 strikeouts.
Verlander’s second stint on the IL might have serious implications for both the Astros and the player. The Astros already have holes in their rotation, and the absence of their best pitcher will make it even harder for them to turn around their disappointing season.
On the other hand, Verlander is now in jeopardy of missing the threshold for a $35 million player option next season. In order for that option to vest, Verlander needs to pitch in at least 140 innings. He is currently at 57 innings, with almost half of the season already behind us. In order to reach the threshold, he would have to stage a swift return while also remaining healthy until the end of the season. If that doesn’t happen, the three-time Cy Young winner will hit the free agency.
The Houston Astros scratched veteran right-hander Justin Verlander from his scheduled start on Saturday, continuing the season-long injury issues with their rotation. Verlander has experienced neck discomfort over the past couple of weeks. The Astros decided that skipping his turn in the rotation might provide him a path to recovery. Houston fell 13-5 to the Detroit Tigers on Saturday, squaring that three-game series and setting up the rubber match on Sunday afternoon.
The Astros have lost starters Cristian Javier and Jose Urquidy to season-ending elbow surgeries. Javier initially landed on the injured list with neck discomfort before his elbow woes. “It’s not ideal,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “You don’t want to hear any of your players having pain anywhere. I’m not going to get into if it’s the same trajectory as Javier. We’re going to let JV let us know how he feels, and we’ll just deal day to day.” Injuries to starters have left the Astros’ depth virtually nonexistent. Losing Verlander to the IL or for any prolonged stretch could prove cataclysmic.
“It’s tough because of the starters who have gone down for us and how every game means more for us right now because of the position that we are in,” Espada said. “But I do still feel like we do have some depth. But it’s just not what you want to hear right now during this stretch.”
