Verlander feels ‘good’ after 20-pitch session Ex-Skeeter De Jong finds his way back
Astros pitcher Justin Verlander threw 20 pitches Sunday as he continues efforts to return to the active roster before season’s end, manager Dusty Baker said Monday.
“He says he felt pretty good — according to the reports, he felt good — and so that’s a positive sign,” Baker said.
Verlander has not pitched since the season opener July 24 and went on the injured list with what was described as a forearm strain.
Two people with knowledge of the situation told the Chronicle last month that Verlander suffered an elbow injury that would prevent him from returning this season.
Verlander in a social media post described that prognosis as “not accurate,” but he has not spoken publicly on his condition since then.
The team has termed Verlander’s injury a “right forearm strain.” In a recent nterview with USA Today, owner Jim Crane acknowledged Verlander’s injury was elbow-related and even hinted that Tommy John surgery is possible for the 37-year-old righthander.
“He’s hopeful, so we’ll see,” Crane told the newspaper. “But you never know with these elbows. It could be a slight tear. It could be a strain. But if he had to have Tommy John, and I don’t think that’s anywhere near clear yet, he wouldn’t be back until 2022.”
Springer leaves game after being hit
Astros pitcher George Springer was hit in the left elbow by a pitch in the sixth inning Monday night and was lifted for a pinch runner.
Springer twice went to one knee after taking a 95 mph fastball off the elbow from Angels reliever Jacob Barnes.
Springer remained in the game, but after a pitching change was lifted for pinch runner Myles Straw.
The injury was described as a left elbow contusion, but X-rays were negative for more serious damage.
Righthander Chase De Jong returned Monday to Minute Maid Park, the site of his major league debut, happy to be wearing a major league uniform once more after two stints with the independent Sugar Land Skeeters.
De Jong, 26, last pitched in the majors with the Twins in 2019 and said he wouldn’t have had a chance to return to the big leagues without the support of his family and the chance to pitch in 2019 and earlier this year with the local independent team.
“It’s just been such a whirlwind to go into last offseason not having a job and betting on myself, putting in the hard work and now getting the results and obviously having this opportunity to be here with the Astros,” said De Jong, who took the roster spot of righthander Humberto Castellanos when he was promoted Sunday.
De Jong debuted with the Mariners in 2017 on April 5 that year and was touched up by George Springer for a three-run homer in the 13th inning of a 5-3 Astros win. He is 1-4 in three stints with the Mariners and Twins (47 innings in 12 games).
After being released by Minnesota in 2019, De Jong was 4-4 with the Skeeters in 2019 and 1-2 in six games in the team’s Constellation Energy League this summer.
De Jong said he pitched to his wife, Christina, a former college golfer at Florida Atlantic, during the COVID-19 shutdown in Southern California, and he also trained by throwing weighted balls against an Interstate 405 overpass.
“She’s athletic, and I’ve been a control guy for nine years, so she kind of just held (the glove) off to her glove side. and I made sure to miss arm side if I missed,” he said.
With weight work and emphasis on using his lower body, De Jong said, his velocity improved during the training sessions from 89-90 mph to 92-95 mph.
“I made the most of that COVID shutdown, and I just figured it out.” he said. “Now it’s coming out hot. It’s fun to pitch like that.”
De Jong is one of four players from the Constellation Energy League to have his contract purchased by a major league team and the second to make an active roster.
“I’ve made adjustments, and I was still a very good pitcher, and I wouldn’t have had anywhere to play,” he said. “I am so grateful for the opportunity to go play there.”