-
by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Astros' Justin Verlander: Plans to continue pitching in 2025
Justin Verlander said Wednesday that he plans to continue his major-league career in 2025, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.Verlander -- who will turn 42 in February -- battled through a disappointing 2024 season, finishing with a 5.48 ERA and 74:27 K:BB over 90.1 innings covering 17 starts before being left off the Houston Astros wild-card roster. He began the year on the injured list with a shoulder problem and also missed substantial time with a neck issue, an injury which he has indicated he might have come back too soon from and could have affected his performance. Given his age and the season he just had, Verlander will enter free agency with question marks, but he shouldn't have trouble finding a team willing to take a shot on a bounce-back showing in 2025.
-
by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Astros' Justin Verlander: Excluded from wild-card roster
Justin Verlander is not on the Houston Astros' roster for the American League Wild Card Series versus the Tigers, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.Verlander's absence from the roster, while perhaps jarring, is not a surprise, as he wasn't going to make a start in the series and was unlikely to be carried as a reliever. Whether he's on the ALDS roster, should the Astros advance, is a bigger question. Ronel Blanco and Spencer Arrighetti will be available in relief for Houston in the wild-card series.
-
by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Astros' Justin Verlander: Grabs win in Cleveland
Justin Verlander (5-6) picked up the win Saturday against the Guardians, allowing three runs on seven hits while striking out five over six innings. He did not issue a walk.Verlander completed six innings for the first time since May, as he tossed just his sixth quality start of the season. Verlander will have to wait and see if he did enough against the Guardians to make the postseason roster. The 41-year-old has been a shell of his former self as of late, as he entered Saturday's start with a 10.90 ERA in 17.1 innings in September.
-
by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Astros' Justin Verlander: Shaky in no-decision
Justin Verlander came away with a no-decision in Friday's 9-7 win over the Angels, surrendering six runs on eight hits and a walk over 4.2 innings. He struck out four.The 41-year-old righty was staked to a 6-1 lead after three innings, but Verlander couldn't stick around long enough to qualify for the win, as he got the hook after 86 pitches (60 strikes). Verlander hasn't lasted more than five innings in any of his six starts since coming off the IL in late August, and his 8.89 ERA, 1.79 WHIP and 18:10 K:BB through 27.1 innings over that stretch makes it uncertain if he even has enough left in the tank to be part of Houston's postseason rotation. Verlander is scheduled to make one more regular-season start, on the road next weekend in Cleveland.
-
by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Astros' Justin Verlander: Earns first win since May
Justin Verlander (4-6) picked up the win over the Angels on Saturday, allowing two runs on four hits and two walks over five innings while striking out two.Verlander actually got off to a rough start, allowing back-to-back walks and an RBI single to open the bottom of the first. However, he would then go on to retire 15 of the next 18 batters he faced before leaving the contest, allowing one more run on an Eric Wagaman double over that stretch. It marked the first win for the veteran right-hander since May 24 against Oakland, and it was only the second time in his last seven starts that he allowed fewer than four runs. Following the win, Verlander still carries a 10.66 ERA over three September outings to go along with an ugly 5:7 K:BB.
-
by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Astros' Justin Verlander: Tagged for eight runs
Justin Verlander (3-5) took the loss Sunday against the Diamondbacks, allowing eight runs on eight hits and a walk over three innings.Seven of the runs Verlander let up came off the bat of Pavin Smith, who took Verlander deep in the second for three runs and then again in the third for a grand slam. The Houston Astros have now lost five straight starts by Justin Verlander. Over his last three starts, he's allowed 17 runs over 12.2 innings while managing a 6:6 K:BB. He isn't missing many bats as of late, and that was the case again Sunday. He registered just two whiffs on his fastball and none with any of his secondary pitches. The 41-year-old now owns a 5.30 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 63:24 K:BB in 74.2 innings and will look to try and bounce back against the Angels over the weekend.
-
by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Astros' Justin Verlander: Tagged with third straight loss
Justin Verlander (3-5) took the loss Monday against the Reds, allowing five runs on eight hits and four walks over 4.2 innings. He struck out three.Verlander walked the first three batters he faced in the bottom of the first inning, making it the first time in 522 career appearances that he's opened the game with three straight free passes. Verlander has lost all three of his starts since returning from a neck injury in late August and has a 6.75 ERA, 1.70 WHIP and 12:6 K:BB across 14.2 innings during that span. The 41-year-old's current streak of five straight starts of five innings or fewer pitched is the longest of his career.
-
by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Astros' Justin Verlander: Suffers four-run inning in loss
Justin Verlander (3-4) took the loss against the Phillies on Tuesday, allowing four runs on seven hits and one walk with three strikeouts over five innings.Verlander tossed four separate scoreless innings but endured a four-run third that included a three-run homer by Nick Castellanos. While he didn't have his best stuff, the veteran completed five frames for the second straight outing since returning from the injured list Wednesday and increased his workload to 90 pitches. On the season, Verlander owns a 4.16 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 60:19 K:BB across 67 innings and lines up for a road matchup with the Reds early next week.
-
by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Astros' Justin Verlander: Falls to Boston in return
Justin Verlander (3-3) took the loss Wednesday against the Red Sox, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk over five innings. He struck out six.Verlander looked a little rusty early in his first start since June 9, allowing a run in both of the first two innings. However, the 41-year-old Verlander would rebound to blank the Red Sox over his final three frames, retiring 10 straight batters to finish his outing before departing having thrown 76 pitches. Verlander now sports a 3.92 ERA across 62 innings this year with a 1.19 WHIP and 57:18 K:BB. He's currently in line for a tough road matchup with the Phillies in his next start early next week.
-
by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Astros' Justin Verlander: Activated ahead of start
The Houston Astros activated Justin Verlander (neck) from the 15-day injured list ahead of his start Wednesday against the Red Sox.Verlander will rejoin the Houston rotation Wednesday after missing more than two months of action with a neck problem. The 41-year-old threw just 57 pitches in his second of two rehab starts, so he's not yet fully stretched out as he enters a matchup versus Boston. According to Jim Bowden of MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM, manager Joe Espada said that he's expecting Verlander to toss around 75-to-80 pitches Wednesday, so the veteran right-hander could struggle to work deep enough into the start to qualify for a win. Verlander has collected a 3.95 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 51:17 K:BB across 57 innings for the Astros this season.