Houston Astros’ ace pitcher Justin Verlander is gearing up for his first rehabilitation start at Triple-A Sugar Land on Sunday, marking a significant step in his return from a shoulder injury that sidelined him at the start of the season.
Verlander, 41, who has been on the injured list due to inflammation in his right shoulder, is set to undergo a bullpen session in Houston on Thursday before taking the mound for his rehab start over the weekend.
Astros’ manager Joe Espada indicated that Verlander is expected to make two minor league starts before being reinstated from the injured list. “Just based on what I’ve seen and out of his live BPs and how he’s talking about how he feels, I think two starts… should be good enough,” Espada commented.
The plan for Verlander’s rehab outings includes throwing 70-75 pitches during Sunday’s start and increasing to 85-90 pitches in the subsequent start.
This marks Verlander’s second stint with the Astros after rejoining the team in a trade with the New York Mets last July. In the previous season, he showcased his prowess on the mound, tallying a record of 13-8 with a stellar 3.22 ERA in 27 starts split between the Mets and the Astros.
As Verlander takes this crucial step towards returning to the Astros’ rotation, fans eagerly anticipate his comeback and the impact he will undoubtedly bring to the team’s pursuit of success in the upcoming season.
