Astros pitcher Justin Verlander said he is optimistic he could return to the rotation “soon” after he threw one simulated inning in a bullpen session Sunday, his second since injuring his right calf on Aug. 28.
Verlander went through his entire pregame routine on Sunday and then pitched off the rubber with David Hensley and J.J. Matijevic standing in as hitters. He said he did not know his pitch count but encountered no issues.
“Obviously not being off the mound with intensity in a while, I wanted to try to, best I can, kind of trick my body into feeling like alright, this was start day,” Verlander said. “And then hopefully I can get on my regular routine from here.”
Verlander is first eligible to be activated off the injured list on Wednesday, Sept. 14, but both he and Astros general manager James Click have said it might take longer for him to rejoin the rotation. Verlander still did not have a specific timetable for his return on Sunday, but said he anticipated being available for his next start depending on how he recovers.
Verlander said he will travel with the Astros to Detroit this week. Astros manager Dusty Baker said Cristian Javier will probably start against the Tigers on Wednesday, with Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown set to start Monday and Tuesday. That schedule would put Verlander’s next start on pace to be against the A’s next weekend at Minute Maid Park.
“We don’t really want to count on it because we don't want to jinx it or him have any setbacks, but for sure it would be nice to get him back,” Baker said. “Get him back sharp, with his endurance that he had before. I noticed that a couple days ago he was jogging off the field and I was like, ‘Dang, he’s feeling pretty good.’ So, slowly but surely.”
Verlander resumed throwing three days after his injury, and threw around 30 pitches in his first bullpen session at Minute Maid Park on Friday. The goal of Sunday’s session, which he called a “good step,” was to get him used to going up and down and thinking about hitting his spots with batters lined up.
“Calf felt great,” Verlander said. “A little inconsistent, mechanics wise, but I think a lot of that is still kind of trying to trust the calf, which is why I really wanted to do this today. My body's healing quickly. Really, my thought was try to simulate as much as I can, like, let's not be so robotic. Let's try to feel like I'm pitching a little bit so that I stop thinking about the calf and just let my mechanics work. The natural proprioception of pitching, just try to get some of that back because during rehab, your throwing gets very stagnant and robotic, and that's obviously not how I pitch.”
While his arm feels normal, Verlander said he likely still needs to go through pitcher’s fielding practice and do more running and agility work to make sure his calf is OK before he returns. He said it was a “blessing in disguise” that the injury occurred not while he was pitching, but while he was running to cover first base.
“My ability to recover has been one of my best gifts throughout my career,” Verlander said. “So, very pleased with the way things have come along so far. Hopefully tomorrow and the next day, it's just like the rest of this the last two weeks where every time I stress it a little bit more, I actually feel better the next day. If that's the case., I think we're good to go.”
Danielle Lerner covers the Rockets, Astros and a variety of sports for the Houston Chronicle. She previously covered college basketball for The Daily Memphian, The Athletic and the Louisville Courier Journal. A true utility player, she has also written about professional soccer, horse racing, college football and college baseball. Her work has been honored by APSE and SPJ. A native Californian, Lerner spends her free time being active outdoors and exploring Houston's taco scene.