Ace’s rehab going well, but caution still king
Astros ace Justin Verlander said his rehab from a right calf injury is progressing “about as good as anybody could have hoped for to this point,” but he will continue to exercise extreme caution given the Astros’ massive American League West lead and the starting rotation’s performance in his absence.
“Given the point in the season, how well our starters are doing and the way we’ve positioned ourselves, I think caution is the word to use,” Verlander said Wednesday. “I think even if I rushed back to come (back) right after the 15 days is up, I don’t know if that would even allot an extra start throughout the rest of the regular season or not, as opposed to giving it another four days or so.”
Verlander said he took three days off from throwing after his injury Aug. 28 and has since resumed throwing as he normally would between starts. He threw off the slope of the bullpen mound Wednesday before the team’s game against the Rangers but has not progressed to throwing off of the actual pitching rubber.
Verlander’s next step would be a light bullpen session off the rubber, which he hoped could occur in the next few days. The American League Cy Young frontrunner has only thrown from flat ground and the middle of the mound since suffering his injury.
Because Verlander injured his leg, he’s able to keep his arm in shape and — as a result — said he will more than likely not require a minor league rehab assignment. It does, however, mean that Verlander must pass an array of agility and running tests before he’s able to return to a major league mound.
Verlander is first eligible to return from the injured list Sept. 14. Earlier this week, general manager James Click told the team’s pregame radio show that Verlander would “probably take a little bit longer” than the requisite 15 days before returning to the team’s rotation.
Verlander seemed to echo those sentiments Wednesday but declined to offer a concrete timetable for his return.
“We haven’t really circled a date yet, it’s just kind of ‘see things go as you’re progressing,’ and I’m progressing very quickly,” Verlander said. “But I do think discretion is the better part of valor. I think that would apply here, trying not to get too far ahead of myself and don’t do anything stupid. I really feel like I dodged a bullet so I would not be able to forgive myself or look my teammates in the eyes if I tried to push myself back for potentially one extra start.”
Verlander said he would like to accompany the club on its upcoming three-day trip to Detroit, where he starred for the first 12 years of his career, but he didn’t sound like someone who would make a triumphant return for the final game of that series — the first day he’s eligible to be activated.
“Everything has been healing and progressing as we could have hoped, if not even a little bit better,” Verlander said. “Just very optimistic but also being cautious, especially given the time of the year. Not trying to overly push things.”