Albeit unfortunate circumstances under the coronavirus pandemic, Verlander did use the off-time to reinvent himself in some ways. He made adjustments to his mechanics after having groin surgery, which was tied to a lat injury he suffered during spring training.
And on Thursday, Astros manager Dusty Baker said he looked sharp.
Yet it's been the delays in COVID-19 testing garnering much attention at Astros summer camp.
Verlander said some issues were to be expected.
"I think the delays in testing are tough. I don’t think anybody thought this would go perfectly," Verlander said Thursday. "There are so many variables, so many questions that we try to iron out on paper. But as we know, from just experience, it doesn’t work that way. I think everybody is going to have to go with the flow this year. I think the testing is important, obviously, and I’m hoping we can resolve that quickly. Otherwise, that’s going to be a hard thing to get through and start the season. I think the testing is what a lot of guys are relying on to show that we’re somewhat comfortable in the atmosphere when we get to the stadium.
"When we’re here, we still need to adhere to the social distancing guidelines and MLB protocols. But there is some element of, OK, I know these guys have been tested every other day and the test results have come back every other day. Beyond a reasonable doubt, I should feel pretty safe. Even if they did slip through the cracks, we’re still practicing social distancing. I think the relative risk of transmission is extremely low. I think they did a good job of thinking through all of this stuff. Now, it’s just implementing it. The first hurdle we’ve come to is testing, and in my opinion is the most important, besides what we do ourselves. And we need to get it figured out quickly."
When asked if he believed MLB could make it through a 60-game season, especially given the issues so far, Verlander had this to say:
"No. Not yet. I think every day we get closer to the season is another day we’ve made it without a big outbreak in a clubhouse, or something really bad happening. I think the longer this process goes without it being shut down, the better chances of us playing the season."