Verlander lined up for Saturday

SEATTLE — The Astros named their projected starters for the first two games of their final regular-season series in Arizona, though it’s possible rotation plans could remain fluid.

J.P. France is scheduled to pitch Friday’s series opener against the Diamondbacks with Justin Verlander in line to start Saturday, manager Dusty Baker said before Wednesday’s series finale in Seattle.

Asked if Verlander will pitch Saturday regardless of the standings at that point, Baker said: “I don’t know, man. Right now, he’s starting Saturday. So we’ll see.”

Verlander will be on regular rest Saturday. Entering Wednesday, there was a slight chance that Houston could have a postseason spot secured before Saturday’s games. The Astros head to Phoenix with a 1 ⁄ -game lead over Seattle for the final AL wild-card spot. If the Astros win Friday, and Seattle loses Thursday and Friday to Texas, Houston would enter Saturday up three games on the Mariners with two to play.

Any other outcome, though, would put the Mariners, who own the regular-season tiebreaker over the Astros, no further back than two games of Houston entering Saturday, in which case Seattle would still have a chance to secure a berth over the Astros in the season’s final two days. The AL West, ostensibly, could also still be in play for Houston entering Saturday if the Rangers were to recede.

Verlander threw a bullpen session Wednesday at T-Mobile Park, an indication that he does plan to pitch Saturday, given the Astros are off Thursday. If Verlander pitches Saturday, he would not be on regular rest to start again until next Thursday, the day of a potential Game 3 of an AL wildcard series. He could be an option to start Game 2 on three days’ rest if the Astros end up in a wildcard series.

Houston’s starter for Sunday’s regular-season finale is undetermined, Baker said. Framber Valdez, who started Wednesday in Seattle, would only be an option to start that game if Houston brought him back on three days’ rest. It could be considered if the Astros reached Game 162 with a postseason spot still on the line.

Brantley makes return to lineup

Michael Brantley returned to the Astros’ lineup for Wednesday’s series finale against Seattle after missing eight games because of soreness in his surgically repaired right shoulder.

Brantley started in left field and hitting sixth against Mariners righthander Bryce Miller. Baker said he hoped Brantley could be an “equalizer” against Miller, who entered Wednesday allowing an .897 OPS to lefthanded hitters this season while holding righthanded hitters to a .535 OPS. Brantley gave the Astros three lefty bats along with Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker.

Chas McCormick was not in Houston’s lineup. McCormick exited Tuesday’s game after he was struck in the lower back by a 99 mph fastball from Seattle’s closer Andres Muñoz in the ninth inning. McCormick said Wednesday he had some swelling in the area but he expected to be available off the bench.

McCormick was hit leading off the ninth inning Tuesday with the Astros down 6-1. While it seems highly unlikely the Mariners, trying to overtake the Astros for a playoff spot, would grant them a baserunner in that situation, Baker voiced frustration Tuesday night and again Wednesday with the hit by pitch.

Baker noted Wednesday that McCormick was the third Astros player to be hit in the series. Jose Altuve was hit by a fastball from reliever Dominic Leone in the ninth inning Monday; Yainer Diaz was hit in the knee by a sinker from reliever Justin Topa in the seventh inning Tuesday.

“We had three guys hit, and these guys have been the lowest in the league, almost, at hitting people,” Baker said. “And you know, there’s been some bad blood here. I mean, it’s hard to accuse anybody or prove intent. Only the person that threw it knows the intent.”