Six-man rotation, desire by ace collide
HOUSTON — Though Astros ace Justin Verlander said he’s been pleasantly surprised by his ability to bounce back between starts during his first season back from Tommy John surgery, the team is more intent on preserving him for “the long game.”
Verlander has made clear his desire to pitch every fifth day. He did not do it until May 15 — Verlander’s seventh start of the season — a byproduct of both the team’s off days and its caution with Verlander’s re-entry into major league life. He acknowledged on Monday some difficulty during April.
“It took me a while to get through the cycle of soreness after I pitched. After, like, four or five starts, I started feeling better every time out,” Verlander said.
Verlander has made four starts on four days of rest — normal for any starter in a five-man rotation. The Astros’ current roster construction makes it almost impossible. Houston is now deploying a six-man rotation after Jake Odorizzi returned from the injured list.
Odorizzi started on Monday, which would have been Verlander’s turn to pitch if the team kept him on normal rest. Instead, Verlander will throw on Thursday during the series finale, giving him seven days between starts — his longest respite of the season.
“Since my workload is getting up there, talking to our training staff and doctors and kind of always staying in touch with everybody, I think everybody across the board (thinks) ‘if you have the opportunity to take a blow, take as much as you can,’” Verlander said on Monday. “I take that to heart and try to play the long game, not the short game.”
Verlander has thrown 971⁄3 innings across his first 15 starts. Entering Monday’s slate of games, only 10 major league starters had thrown more. Verlander finished at least seven innings in five of his six starts in June while throwing at least 100 pitches in three of them. He has a 2.03 ERA and a major league-high 10 wins.
“Pretty much where I want it to be,” Verlander said of his health. “I didn’t know what to expect, so I guess I’m pleasantly surprised, especially after the first few starts.”