HOUSTON (SportsRadio 610)- No pitcher on the Astros staff was impacted more by last weekend's workout cancellations more than Zack Greinke, but while he's behind others on the Astros staff he will be ready to take his first turn through the rotation.
"As ready as most people," Greinke said Thursday. "Should be pretty good. Not midseason form, but pretty good."
Greinke threw 54 pitches in a four-inning simulated start on Thursday, saying he thought the outing went well until his last inning when he wore down a bit. It marked the second time he's faced hitters during the Astros summer camp. He tossed 20 pitches in a live batting practice session on Friday, which was supposed to provide a lead into Sunday's simulated game, but that was scrapped after a member of the Astros staff came in contact with someone who might've been exposed to Covid-19. After registering a negative test he hurled a 67-pitch bullpen on Monday.
"All my pitches feel pretty good. "Curve and change aren't the best they've been, but especially the changeup is useable, the fastball is really good, slider is really good, so I'll take that for now."
The 36-year old will only get one more tune-up outing before the start of the regular season and he'll have one main goal when that takes place which is to build up his arm strength.
"Today that kind of the goal and just kind of going as far as we're comfortable going, and today I got really tired the last inning, so next time we'll try it for about 75 (pitches) or so, but it's possible it will only be 60, it's possible it will be 80. I don't know. Maybe it's 50, but I'm hoping for more than 50."
Astros manager Dusty Baker announced Wednesday that Justin Verlander will be the Astros opening day starter on July 24 against the Mariners and because of Sunday's cancelled simulated game, Lance McCullers has the inside track to start the second game of the season.
