Bad news has become all too common for the 2020 Astros. The terrible Justin Verlander news is just another example of bad luck for the struggling Houston Astros. They have had a season of ups and downs, and they can’t afford too many more downs. The Astros are a team that is battling to stay ahead of the third-place Seattle Mariners for a playoff spot.
Justin Verlander News
As the whole baseball world has heard by now, Verlander will undergo Tommy John surgery. The 37-year-old will miss the rest of this season and likely all of the next season. It was a lost season from the start, as the veteran was shut down after his first start due to a forearm strain. There had been hope for his return for the postseason. He was pitching to live batters at the alternative training site, almost ready to return. Unfortunately, all hope faded when he felt discomfort in his elbow. He decided the best option was to undergo that dreaded elbow surgery. The Verlander loss is a huge blow.
Current Astros Starting Rotation
Of the many things that Verlander provided, the most important quality was consistency. Unfortunately for Houston, there has not been a ton of consistency in the starting rotation. The pitchers that were the most consistent in the early going of this season, were Zack Greinke and Framber Valdez. In Greinke’s first five starts, he gave up three or more runs only once. In his past six starts, he has given up three or more runs in each of them. For Valdez, it has been the same story. Through his first five appearances with four of them starts, he allowed six earned runs. In his four starts prior to his stellar outing against the Texas Rangers, he allowed 20 earned runs.
In fact, the most consistent starter has been the phenomenal rookie, Cristian Javier. The 23-year-old has pitched in 10 games with eight of them starts and posted a 3.22 ERA. That is the best among Houston’s pitchers with at least six starts. The return of Jose Urquidy is also a welcome sight. The 25-year-old missed the beginning of the season due to a positive COVID-19 test. In three starts since returning, he has given up five earned runs. The starting rotation has been a lot like the struggling Astros offense, at times they look great, and at times they look futile. The rotation must step up, knowing there won’t be any more reinforcements coming.
Astros Offense Must Find A Groove
Hopefully, the Verlander loss sparks this team, because they need something to get going. In the last 11 games, the struggling Astros have scored about two and a half runs per game, winning just four of those games. The entire pitching staff is giving up just under four runs per game in that span, so the offense is wasting some good pitching performances.
The inconsistencies are what has led to a frustrating season for Houston. The team enters Saturday with a 25-26 record. They are still second in the AL West, but only three games ahead of the scrappy Mariners. A four-game Mariner losing streak has helped the Astros, but they are still within striking distance of Houston. The way Houston plays in the remainder of their series against the Arizona Diamondbacks could set up a huge series against the Mariners, starting on September 21.
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