Verlander working to get changeup back on track
Since joining the Astros this month, Justin Verlander has been working with pitching coach Brent Strom to find the changeup that’s eluded him for most of the season.
And though he threw only three of them in his seven scoreless innings Friday night against the Angels, the 34-year-old righthander felt the pitch was “the best it’s been” in his four starts with the Astros.
“It was a good sign,” he said.
Each of the three changeups Verlander threw Friday were strikes. Two induced swings, one a swing and miss. Armed with his fastball in the mid to upper 90s and his power slider, the ex-Detroit Tiger hasn’t thrown more than three changeups in an outing since July 24 in a start against the Royals.
“It’s been a goal of mine, really, all year,” said Verlander, who has a dominant 0.64 ERA in 28 innings with the Astros. “I just haven’t really developed it. I’ve been working on it. Sometimes just some new insight, different insight can help, and Strommy had some good advice for me, and it seems like it’s been helping.”
Said Astros manager A.J. Hinch, “If he gets that going, watch out.”
Early start gives regulars day off
Astros manager A.J. Hinch used the 12:05 p.m. Saturday start after the Friday night game to give a few of his regulars rest before the final week of the regular season.
Second baseman Jose Altuve and outfielders George Springer and Josh Reddick were off Saturday against the Angels. Third baseman Alex Bregman batted leadoff and Marwin Gonzalez, who played second base, batted in the No. 2 spot. Shortstop Carlos Correa batted third.
First baseman Tyler White got a rare start. Tony Kemp, Cameron Maybin and Derek Fisher made up the outfield.
“This 12 o’clock game comes pretty fast,” Hinch said. “So, I wanted some of the younger guys to come in and play.”
Reddick was pulled from Friday’s 3-0 win with a sore back but the injury isn’t considered serious. He was scheduled to be off Saturday previously.
MLB pledges $1M to relief efforts
Major League Baseball on Saturday pledged $1 million to aid those affected by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and the earthquake in Mexico.
“These devastating natural disasters have deeply affected the baseball family,” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “Players from Puerto Rico and Mexico are an important part of the past, present and future of our game. We hope that our contribution will aid immediate and ongoing efforts during this critical time and the long-term recovery for the people of Puerto Rico and Mexico.”
In its news release announcing the donation, MLB also encouraged fans to contribute to both causes at YouCaring.com/ MLBSupports.
Odds and ends
Jose Altuve is four hits shy of 200 for the season. He ranks second in the majors in hits behind Colorado’s Charlie Blackmon, who came into Saturday with 201. …
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Justin Verlander (4-0, 0.64 ERA with Astros) is only the fifth pitcher since 1920 to go 4-0 with an ERA of 0.70 or better in his first four starts with a new team. The others: Boo Ferris (1945 Red Sox), Fernando Valenzuela (1981 Dodgers), Tim Wakefield (1995 Red Sox) and Jordan Zimmermann (2016 Tigers).
Jake Kaplan