Houston Astros Ace Makes First Injury Rehab Start At Sugar Land

The Houston Astros are hopeful that their former Cy Young award winner will only need a couple of rehab starts before returning to the Majors.

Oct 20, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander (35) throws during the / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The Houston Astros had their injured staff ace Justin Verlander make his first injury rehab start on Sunday for Triple-A Sugar Land as he pushes the accelerator on his return to the starting rotation.

Verlander faced the Las Vegas Aviators and pitched three innings, giving up seven hits, seven runs (six earned) and one walk. He also struck out six. He threw 65 pitches, 46 of which were strikes.

The plan was for the 41-year-old will throw 70 to 75 pitches in the start.

Verlander retired the side in order in the first inning, with the Aviators coming back for five runs in the second and two in the third.

He faced a lineup with players that had MLB experience, including Carlos Perez, who homered, Max Muncy and the recently-demoted Esteury Ruiz.

The Astros said this week that they believed Verlander would need at least one more start in the minor before they determined when to activate him from the 15-day injured list. Based on normal rest, Verlander could start again on Friday.

The question will be where, as Sugar Land will be in Albuquerque and the Corpus Christi Hooks, the Astros’ Double-A affiliate, will be in Frisco. The Astros could opt to send Verlander to Frisco, which is just north of Dallas, for his second start to save him travel and keep him near Houston when the Astros return from their current road trip.

Verlander has been building to this assignment for at least a week. Last week he threw a bullpen and a three-inning simulated game at Minute Maid Park before the Astros signed off on the rehab start.

He arrived at spring training in February with a shoulder problem, which put him two weeks behind the rest of the pitching staff.

Last season Verlander was 13-8 overall, he was 7-3 with a 3.31 ERA with the Astros. He posted his numbers in 27 starts as the start of his season was delayed due to injury. The Astros re-acquired him from the Mets at last season’s trade deadline for two outfield prospects — Drew Gilbert and Ryan Clifford.