Due to his recent poor performance, the Houston Astros right-hander may be unable to pitch in the postseason. The Houston Astros appear to be prepared for the postseason as a whole, but the front office and coaching staff will still need to make some decisions.
None of these decisions will be more significant than what they do with Justin Verlander. The right-hander is an all-time great, but he hasn’t pitched effectively since recovering from a neck injury.
While it would be weird to see the Astros without Verlander, and his performance throughout his career may exceed his previous starts, Houston must make the best option for themselves.
It reaches a point where every pitcher in the history of the game begins to slow down, and it appears that
It may be time for that with Verlander. Perhaps he will get healthy this offseason and return to a high level, but for the time being, he hasn’t performed well. That decision has not yet been made, but it is expected to be made soon.
According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, “it’s becoming more likely” that he will not pitch in October.
“If they do meet, it is likely that future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander will not be on the postseason roster. He has an 8.89 ERA in six starts since returning from the IL, and admitted Friday that he may have returned too soon from his neck issue.
Verlander’s neck issue has disrupted his season. He addressed the ailment following his latest start earlier this week.
“I think I came back from the neck injury a little fast,” he remarked, according to KHOU 11. “Obviously, I know the timetable and the calendar, and I want to be a contributor to this team, so I need to be able to pitch and figure out where I stand. Obviously, the outcomes have been poor, but there’s nothing you can do but attempt to pitch.”
Overall, the Virginia native has a 5.55 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 4.86 FIP, and only 69 strikeouts in 84 1/3 innings thrown.
For a pitcher who has been among the best in baseball history for nearly two decades, 2024 has been his poorest season.
If Verlander does not pitch in the postseason, another position in the rotation becomes available for someone to step up.
With the Astros’ pitchers already doing so this season, expect them to figure it out if he doesn’t pitch in October.
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