Astros ace pitcher Justin Verlander is being shut down at spring training due to a "mild lat strain," general manager James Click told reporters Monday.
Verlander said "it would probably take a miracle" for him to be back by Opening Day, the
Houston Chronicle's Chandler Rome
reported.
Verlander was pulled early from an exhibition Sunday, pitching just two innings when he was expected to go four innings.
It was reported that Verlander suffered some sort of triceps injury and he immediately left the ballpark for testing.
Click said Monday that Verlander has a mild lat strain,
which is the broadest muscle of the back.
Verlander said this is not the worst-case scenario but also said later in his interview session “It would probably take a miracle to be back before Opening Day. But I don’t want to take miracles off the table.” JV has a mild lat strain, similar to injury he had in 2015. pic.twitter.com/8RE2hXeGzm
— Alyson Footer (@alysonfooter)
March 9, 2020 Earlier in spring training, Verlander was scratched from his initial spring training debut with groin tightness.
Verlander recently turned 37 years old and is the reigning American League Cy Young winner. He is expected to lead a pitching rotation which lost Gerrit Cole to the New York Yankees in free agency.
The Astros host American League West rival Los Angeles Angels on Opening Day, March 26.
