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Justin Verlander loses to Yankees despite quality start in Astros return

tyler greenawalt
Staff writer
·3 min read
42

Justin Verlander's return to the Houston Astros started out hot but fizzled by the end.

The 40-year-old right-hander pitched seven innings and recorded a quality start against the New York Yankees before being replaced in his first game for Houston since the New York Mets traded him to the Astros on Tuesday. He pitched in 102 games for Houston from 2017 to 2022.

Verlander allowed seven hits and two earned runs, including a home run, and struck out four before Kendall Graveman took the mound in relief the rest of the way. The Astros lost 3-1.

"It was a battle the first few innings," Verlander said after the game. "It was just kind of all over the place, control-wise. Not exactly sure why. But I was able to kind of rein in and make some better pitches, keep it a low game."

Verlander opened the game well, with a three-pitch strikeout of Yankees leadoff batter Jake Bauers. Verlander struck out D.J. LeMahieu to end the first inning after an Aaron Judge flyout to center and two walks.

Verlander then allowed back-to-back hits in the second, which opened up a sacrifice fly by Anthony Volpe to put the Yankees on the board.

Things could've been even worse for Houston in the bottom of the third, when Giancarlo Stanton tried to score from second on a single from LeMahieu. Stanton was easily thrown out at home for the third out of the inning.

Bauers eventually got his revenge on Verlander in the fifth with a solo home run to right field to retake the lead for New York. The Yankees added one more run to their lead after the Astros replaced Verlander for the eighth inning.

Regardless of the outcome, the Astros have to hope Verlander can again deliver some of the success he enjoyed during his first stint in Houston.

The Detroit Tigers traded Verlander to Houston during the 2017 season, and he went on to win two Cy Young awards (in 2018 and 2022), make three All-Star teams and carry an ERA of 2.26 in that span. Verlander struck out 825 batters in 652 combined innings, and the Astros won two World Series titles (2017 and 2022).

Since the trade for Verlander, the Astros are tied for the third-best odds to win the World Series (+700, per BetMGM) with the Tampa Bay Rays and behind the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Verlander signed with the Mets on a two-year, $86.7 million deal on Dec. 7, 2022, but didn't make his debut until May after he suffered a shoulder strain. He finished his 16-game stint in New York with a 3.15 ERA and 81 strikeouts in 94 1/3 innings.