McCullers, Verlander To Pitch In Astros' First Intrasquad Game

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(SportsRadio 610) -- The Astros have a big game Thursday. 

It's against each other at Minute Maid Park. 

Manager Dusty Baker announced Wednesday the Astros will play their first intrasquad game Thursday at 1:45 p.m.

Lance McCullers Jr., who is returning to action from Tommy John surgery in 2018, is pitching for George Springer's team. 

Justin Verlander, the reigining American League Cy Young winner who had groin surgery in the spring, will pitch for Myles Straw's team. 

Verlander is only expected to go two or three innings after pitching a bullpen session Tuesday. The pitcher revealed the lineups on his Instgram story after Baker's announcement. 

This is the first live competition for the Astros since the coronavirus pandemic forced spring training to shut down in March. 

Returning to action has not come without hurdles. The Astros, like other teams around the league, had to cancel their workout Monday because of a lag in COVID-19 test results.
Third baseman Alex Bregman was held out of Wednesday's workout because of another delay in test results. 

Here is a look at the lineups:

George Springer, CF            Jose Altuve, 2B                      Michael Brantley, LF            Alex Bregman, 3B                Yuli Gurriel, 1B                      Carlos Correa, SS                  Josh Reddick, RF                   Martin Maldonado, C          Garrett Stubbs, DH             Lance McCullers Jr., RHP

Myles Straw, CFDrew Ferguson, LFKyle Tucker, RFTaylor Jones, 1BAbraham Toro, 3BNick Tanielu, 2BDustin Garneau, CJack Mayfield, SSRonnie Dawson, DHJustin Verlander, RHP