The Houston Astros did not have a promising start to their 2024 season due to an injury update from Justin Verlander.
On the day Astros pitchers and catchers arrived at their spring training facility in West Palm Beach, Florida, the team’s top pitcher revealed a worrisome arm injury.
According to a tweet from MLB.com’s Astros beat reporter Brian McTaggart, Justin Verlander is currently behind on his throwing schedule by a couple of weeks and doesn’t have a clear timeline for his return.
Astros RHP Justin Verlander said he?s a couple of weeks behind and his timetable is TBA.
“When I first started playing catch I usually shut it down for a while and this time when I shut it down and picked a ball back up, my shoulder didn’t feel so great so I kind of had to take a step back,” Verlander said.
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) February 14, 2024
McTaggart quoted Verlander as saying, “When I first started playing catch I usually shut it down for a while and this time when I shut it down and picked a ball back up, my shoulder didn’t feel so great so I kind of had to take a step back.”
Verlander, who turns 41 on Tuesday, commented further on the injury, explaining, “So I kind of had to take a step back and really be diligent about my build-up. I’ve always been somebody who luckily can pick up a ball and start throwing it. This time, it wasn’t quite as easy, so I had to slow down a little bit. I always like to give myself as much rest as possible, but my timeline is always tight. With a tight timeline, having to slow things down a little bit put me a little bit behind.” (Source: MLB.com)
While the injury does not sound too serious at the moment, it is worth noting that Verlander, who missed his 2023 Opening Day start with the New York Mets due to an upper back/shoulder issue, eventually had to sit out for over a month. This makes his current arm ailment noteworthy. (Source: Brian McTaggart’s Twitter)
However, there is some positive news regarding Verlander: the veteran pitcher managed to throw off a mound this morning, albeit briefly and with minimal intensity, which indicates progress toward his return. (Source: Brian McTaggart’s Twitter)
Despite missing the first month of last season due to injury, Verlander had an impressive year with the Mets and Astros, recording a 3.22 ERA and a 3.20 K/BB ratio in 162 1/3 innings. This provides some comfort for the Astros organization and its fans, although the situation is not an ideal start to the 2024 season.
