Just a few days into camps around the league, we’ve already got our first major injury setback of spring training. This one takes us to Houston, where future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander told reporters that he’s “a couple weeks behind” in his throwing program after experiencing some shoulder discomfort earlier in the winter. Per MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart:
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…— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) February 14, 2024
Verlander went on to downplay the significance of the injury, calling it a “hiccup” that he didn’t expect to linger or become a long-term problem. He also said that it was too early to tell whether he’d be ready by Opening Day:
Astros pitcher Justin Verlander on his “hiccup,” which he says has resolved itself. He’s a couple of weeks behind schedule. pic.twitter.com/tqMajczi6F
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) February 14, 2024
It’s possible that Verlander’s right, that there’s bound to be some creakiness when a soon-to-be 41-year-old starts ramping up for game action. But at the same time, well, Verlander is about to turn 41, and he’s coming off a season in which shoulder trouble pushed his debut back until May. (Of course, Verlander went on to post a very Verlander-ian 3.22 ERA across 162.1 innings with the Mets and Astros, adjusting just fine to life with slightly less velocity than we’re used to seeing from him.)
We simply don’t have a ton of data on pitchers pushing into their 40s, so any rumblings of injury around Verlander are going to be magnified. And Houston can ill afford an extended absence, with J.P. France also battling some shoulder soreness early in camp and Luis Garcia and Lance McCullers Jr. out until at least the second half. If the Astros are going to get back to the World Series, they’re going to need to balance the need to keep Verlander healthy with their need to stay afloat in a crowded AL West.
