Verlander ‘right on pace’ for opening-day start
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — He hasn’t been perfect, but he’s been so close to it that even a perfectionist like Justin Verlander can barely find fault with his pitching thus far in spring training.
After going five innings (61 pitches) and giving up just one run to the Cardinals on Friday night at Fitteam Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, the 35-yearold said he is pleased with his progress as he prepares for the regular season.
“I’d be nitpicking if I said otherwise,” Verlander said after the two-hit, eight-strikeout game with no walks.
Entering his 14th major league season, Verlander says besides a few minor adjustments, his routine is a simple calculation designed to get him up to around 95 pitches by his final start of the spring — he is scheduled to make three more starts — so that he can be ready to throw 110 pitches, if necessary, on opening day.
For the spring, Verlander has given up one run and four hits in 10 innings, with 17 strikeouts. The only run scored against Verlander came on a Paul DeJong home run to left on Friday.
“I threw it exactly where I wanted; he hit a really good pitch,” Verlander said. “You can’t focus on the hitter’s results at this point. … I’m more looking at my execution than his.”
“I’m right on pace, where I need to be.”
Sipp closing in on last bullpen spot
A.J. Hinch again all but said that the left-handed bullpen spot will go to Tony Sipp.
Sipp had not allowed a run in three appearances before Wednesday, when he was couldn’t complete an inning against the Marlins, allowing four runs on four hits and a walk in two-thirds of an inning.
“This is a longer view of guys than one particular start or particular outing,” Hinch said. “We’re not going to ride a roller coaster with these guys. We have a pretty good picture of what our bullpen looks like and what our roster looks like.
“We’re not micromanaging it to the point to where we love ‘em when they do well and don’t when they don’t.”
Sipp is in his fifth season with the Astros. After a strong 2015, when he gave up 12 earned runs in 541⁄3 innings, he has surrendered 24 in 432⁄3 and 371⁄3 innings the last two years.
Paulino working his way back
Astros pitcher David Paulino has been superb in camp thus far, throwing 72⁄3 scoreless innings in three outings.
The lanky Dominican (6-7), who turned 24 last month, came to spring training with some additional pounds to his lean frame, a natural filling out as his body matures.
The Astros hope that maturity and growth come off the field as well, and manager A.J. Hinch believes Paulino is taking positive steps in working his way back from an 80-game suspension after testing positive for a banned substance in the middle of last season.
Which is why, at least for now, his most important tests will come off the field, as was the case Friday, when he was called for a drug test.
As Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow said when Paulino was suspended, the team hopes it was a “one-time incident.”
“I would think he learned a lot from last season,” Hinch said. “That’s a pretty significant thing to go through as a person, and you’re doing it on the national stage on one of the best teams in baseball. And there’s a lesson to be learned in all of that.
“I think he learned from that and I think he’s trying to earn the respect and credibility back in our clubhouse by keeping his mouth shut and just working and competing and trying to find his place in our clubhouse again.”
Last season, Paulino had only one quality start in six outings before his suspension, but the Astros project him to develop.
Tucker’s triple fuels victory over Cards
The Astros scored four runs in the seventh inning — the big hit being Kyle Tucker’s basesloaded, two-out triple — to claim a 4-2 victory over the Cardinals Friday at Fitteam Ballpark of the Palm Beaches.
Dallas Keuchel is scheduled to start Saturday afternoon against Washington. Sunday’s game at the Mets is in doubt, as forecasts predict heavy rains in the area. Lance McCullers is the listed starter for Sunday’s game in Port St. Lucie, and Charlie Morton and Collin McHugh are supposed to throw a simulated game in West Palm Beach. … The Astros will leave Monday morning for an off-day visit to the White House and return Monday evening.
Rule 5 selection Gose goes back to Rangers
The Astros returned Rule 5 selection Anthony Gose to the Rangers on Friday.
The lefthander, who has made the transition from the outfield to the mound, walked all three batters he faced against the Nationals last Saturday, his only appearance with the Astros.
Gose’s departure leaves the Astros with 46 players on their spring training roster.