Associated Press
On Saturday against Frisco, he gave up seven hits and six runs (with five being earned) in just four innings. He also recorded three strikeouts and one walk, with 51 of his 77 pitches being strikes.
Verlander gave up six runs and had six strikeouts while pitching until the start of the fourth inning for Sugar Land.
Before Espada shared his intentions for the 41-year-old player, Verlander had a conversation with reporters. When asked about his return, he left it to the manager to answer. However, he did touch on his current physical condition.
He mentioned that you are not yet at your peak performance, and the only way to improve your pitching at maximum speed is to actually go out and do it. Unfortunately, he cannot replicate full speed practice in the bullpen. Thus, he relies on his body to synchronize and learn from each game to improve his performance. But he feels confident that he is making progress.
Verlander was not pleased with the outcome of his rehabilitation games, but he recognized their importance in preparing him to return from the Injured List (IL).
Espada stated that he is currently in a favorable position. He is feeling positive and self-assured, and is eager to make a valuable contribution. He is aware of the team’s reliance on his performance on the field and is satisfied with his current state.
According to him, my pitch count is similar and I have recovered as I hoped. As we discussed earlier in detail, some tasks that were challenging for me are now becoming more manageable.
The winner of three consecutive Cy Young Awards began the season on the injured reserve due to inflammation in his right shoulder. He then made two starts to rehabilitate, the first for Triple-A Sugar Land on April 7th and the second for Double-A Corpus Christi on Saturday.
On Monday, Houston manager Joe Espada revealed that Verlander will start for an undisclosed game in the upcoming three-game series that starts on Friday.
Houston’s star pitcher, Justin Verlander, is scheduled to have a training session on Tuesday. If everything goes smoothly, he will start his season this coming weekend when the Astros face the Washington Nationals.
