HOUSTON (AP) — Justin Verlander missed almost two months this summer with a neck injury.
After his latest tough start on Friday night in Houston’s 9-7 win over the Angels, the 41-year-old right-hander said he should have taken more time to recover.
“I think I came back from the neck injury a little fast,” he said. “Obviously I know the schedule, I know the calendar and I want to be an asset for this team and to do that I need to be able to pitch and find out where I’m at. Obviously, the results have not been good, but there’s nothing you can do besides trying to pitch.”
Verlander gave up eight hits and six runs in 4 2/3 innings. It’s the third time in four starts where the three-time Cy Young Award winner has allowed eight hits and at least five runs.
His struggles have led some to speculate that he could be left off the playoff roster for the AL West leaders, whose magic number dropped to four with Friday’s win.
Manager Joe Espada deflected when asked after the game if he thought that Verlander could help the team in the postseason.
“I’ve talked to you guys every single day,” he said. “I’m not going to get into playoff implications. We’re trying to get to the playoffs, right? And we’re trying to put these guys in a position to succeed so we can get to the playoffs.”
Verlander went on the injured list on June 15 and returned Aug. 21. He’s won just one of six starts since his return and hasn’t pitched longer than five innings in any of those outings.
“I haven’t been good since I’ve been back, so it’s hard,” he said. “But I’ve had hard stretches in my career before (and) just got to find a way to work through it.”
Verlander received a nice ovation as he walked off the mound Friday night in his last home start of this regular season. He patted his chest and waved to the crowd just before he stepped into the dugout.
“These fans know the game, they pay attention,” he said. “They know I’m out there grinding and trying to give everything I can. I’ve worked as hard as humanly possible trying to bounce back as quick as I can from the injury and get back out there and for them to have that ovation after such a difficult day, yeah, they touched me.”
Verlander, who is in his 20th MLB season, said this has been one of the most difficult stretches of his illustrious career. He's 4-6 with a 5.55 ERA in 16 starts this year.
“Every time I pitched, I’ve felt like I’m kind of inching closer to where I want to be,” he said. “But it’s just not even close to consistent. You see that with the results. At this level the margin for error is so small. The first couple of innings today I felt were where I wanted to be, where I’ve been kind of searching for, and then it just obviously wasn’t great after that.”
When asked about the possibility of not being included on the playoff roster he said that’s “not his decision,” before adding that he probably rushed back in an attempt to help the team come October.
“I see the calendar, I know what time of year it is,” he said. “That’s why I had to come back and try to find myself ... sitting there, trying to give myself time wasn’t possible. I needed to figure out where I was at. It’s been hard. It’s been a tough lesson. But I don’t regret it. I want to show up for these guys. I want to be there.”
AP MLB: https://www.apnews.com/hub/MLB
Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)
Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)
BALTIMORE (AP) — Colton Cowser hit his 21st and 22nd home runs, James McCann added his sixth and seventh and the Orioles went deep a season-high five times in a 7-1 win over the Detroit Tigers on Friday night.
Baltimore remained four games behind the AL East-leading New York Yankees and opened a four-game lead over Kansas City for the top AL wild card. Detroit fell one game behind Minnesota for the final AL wild card.
Anthony Santander contributed his 43rd round-tripper — his second in as many games — off Tigers opener Tyler Holton (7-2) as the Orioles won consecutive games for the first time in more than two weeks.
“We’ve played good baseball the last two days,” said Corbin Burnes (15-8), who pitched seven shutout innings for a second time in as many games against Detroit. "So now it's just about keeping it going and playing our baseball, and not worrying about what's going on (elsewhere)."
Burnes struck out eight, yielded three hits and three walks, and lowered his ERA to 2.95 as the Orioles opened a three-game set against one of baseball’s hottest teams. The Tigers had won their previous four and nine of their last 11 entering Friday.
Keider Montero struck out seven but yielded Baltimore’s final four homers over five innings of middle relief for the Tigers.
“I told him on the mound, ‘Keep your head high. You’re going to get the ball again in five or six days and you're going to help us win,'" Detroit manager A.J. Hinch said.
Trey Sweeney had a late RBI single for Detroit.
McCann’s second shot sailed into the Baltimore bullpen, where reliever Cionel Perez caught it with an outstretched cap — his sixth such feat this season. That completed Baltimore’s first game with multiple players hitting multiple homers since June of 2021, and brought its season total to 224.
“We haven't had homers in bunches like this in a while, and we did in the first half,” said Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde. “It was a fun night for us offensively."
Detroit played from behind from the start. A miscommunication between outfielders Parker Meadows and Kerry Carpenter gifted Gunnar Henderson a leadoff double.
Three batters later, Santander lined Holton’s 2-2 cutter just over the 398-foot sign in deep left-center to make it 2-0 and set in motion a comfortable victory after his walk-off shot decided Thursday's 5-3 win over San Francisco.
“With two outs, two strikes and he goes deep, that was ... honestly a turning point in the game,” Hyde said. “Getting Burnes with a lead there, a 2-0 lead right away.”
TRAINER'S ROOM
Tigers: Rookie 3B Colt Keith (right shoulder) returned to the lineup in the DH role after missing Tuesday's game. Manager A.J. Hinch said he could return to playing defense later this series, or in Detroit's next series at home against Tampa Bay.
Orioles: Activated LHP Danny Coulombe (left elbow surgery) from the 60-day injured list and placed RHP Burch Smith (right groin strain) on the 15-day injured list. Coulombe worked a scoreless eighth. ... Held out OF Cedric Mullins (neck discomfort) after his involvement in an outfield collision on Thursday. ... Sent 1B Ryan Mountcastle to begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Norfolk.
UP NEXT
Orioles Rookie LHP Cade Povich (2-9. 5.74 ERA) tries to build on a promising September in which he's pitched to a 3.18 ERA over three starts. The Tigers send out another opener in RHP Reese Olson (4-8, 3.50).
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Corbin Burnes throws during the second inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Baltimore Orioles' Colton Cowser, left, rounds the bases on his home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Baltimore Orioles' Colton Cowser, top, celebrates his home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game as Detroit Tigers catcher Jake Rogers looks on, at bottom, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Keider Montero throws during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Baltimore Orioles' James McCann, second from left, celebrates after his two-run home run with Gunnar Henderson (2) and Coby Mayo (16) as Detroit Tigers catcher Jake Rogers., right, looks on during the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Baltimore Orioles' James McCann celebrates after his two-run home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson, left, tags out Detroit Tigers' Kerry Carpenter, right, as he tried to steal second base during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Baltimore Orioles' Colton Cowser celebrates his home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Baltimore Orioles' James McCann, right, celebrates his home run with Gunnar Henderson (2) during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Baltimore Orioles' James McCann gestures as he celebrates his home run in front of Detroit Tigers catcher Jake Rogers (34) and home plate umpire CB Bucknor, right, during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
