VERLANDER OUT AT LEAST 2 WEEKS
Reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander has a strained right forearm and will be shut down for at least two weeks.
Astros manager Dusty Baker announced the injury after Houston’s 7-6 loss to the Mariners on Sunday, saying Verlander would be evaluated after two weeks.
Verlander denied a report that the injury would end his season in a tweet Sunday night.
“The report that I’m currently missing the rest of the season is not accurate,” he tweeted. “There is a forearm strain I’m hopeful that with some rest it will heal and I’ll be able to return soon. Thank you for all the well wishes.”
Baker also denied the report.
The 37-year-old Verlander had groin surgery in March but recovered in time to pitch for the Astros on opening day Friday with the season delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Baker said Verlander felt “tenderness” in his arm during his start on Friday, where he pitched six innings and got the win. He had an MRI on Saturday, and now he’ll miss at least roughly a third of this 60game regular season.
“It happened (Friday) early in the game but he said he felt fine,” Baker said. “You see he was throwing the ball great so it was kind of a shock to all of us.”
Baker said he didn’t know who would start in place of Verlander on Wednesday against the Dodgers.
“We’re looking into that,” he said. “We know we’re a little short especially on veteran arms. We’re still trying to decide who can help us.”
When he doesn’t start on Wednesday, it will be the first time Verlander has missed a start for the Astros since he was acquired from Detroit in August 2017. Verlander was 21-6 with a 2.58 ERA last season and led the majors in wins and innings (223).
Verlander, who is in his 16th season in the major leagues, won his first Cy Young Award in 2011 when he was also was voted AL MVP. He is 226-129 with a 3.33 ERA and 3,013 strikeouts in his career.
Jays’ ‘home’ opener
The displaced Toronto Blue Jays won’t start playing in Buffalo until Aug. 11.
The Blue Jays will play their first scheduled homestand — July 29 to Aug. 2 — on the road in Washington and Philadelphia. Baseball began a 60-game season last week shortened due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The team said in a statement Sunday there needs to be infrastructure modifications at Sahlen Field, where the Triple-a Buffalo Bisons usually play.
The Blue Jays will play in a minor league park in Buffalo this season because health officials in Canada were worried about frequent travel by players throughout the U.S., one of the countries hardest by the pandemic. Canada has flattened the epidemic curve.
Notable
Red Sox pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez said he is awaiting results of additional testing after doctors recently discovered an issue with his heart they believe is a result of his recent bout with COVID-19.
The 27-year-old lefthander tested positive for the coronavirus before the start of summer camp, but was cleared and returned to workouts on July 18.
He hasn’t had another positive coronavirus test, but said an MRI revealed a condition called myocarditis, that the team’s medical staff felt was serious enough to shut him down for at least a week.
He’s been restricted from baseball activities since July 23.
“That’s why the doctors tell me to just take a week, just rest, don’t let your heart get too much heart rate,” he said. “If it goes away, just go back to work.”
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle that is usually due to a viral infection. The inflammation can lead to arrhythmias, cardiomyopathy or heart failure.
• Corey Kluber’s Texas debut lasted just one inning.
The right-hander threw just 18 pitches Sunday before departing his first start in almost 15 months with shoulder tightness.