Justin Verlander's Astros Return Something Dusty Baker Has Never Seen Before

Dusty Baker is a baseball lifer, but even Justin Verlander's return to the Houston Astros took him by surprise.

Matthew Postins | Aug 4, 2023

Justin Verlander's Astros Return Something Dusty Baker Has Never Seen Before /

In this story:

Houston Astros

Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander is back in an Astros uniform and while his manager, Dusty Baker, is happy about it, he’s also astounded by it.

Verlander left after last season, during which he helped the Astros win their second World Series and earn his third Cy Young award and signed a two-year mega-contract with the New York Mets. At age 40, the likelihood of Verlander making a return to Houston in an Astros uniform were remote.

Well, things change.

“That's something you know (that) we got him back,” Baker told Fox Sports during an in-game interview on Thursday as the Astros faced the New York Yankees. “I mean, I’ve never seen that in my whole career. You might get a guy back at the end of the year, two years or three years (later), but we got him back in the same year.”

The Astros got Verlander back in eight months, as they dealt for him at the deadline by sending the New York Mets a pair of Top 5 prospects.

Baker said on Thursday that Verlander would start Saturday’s game with the Yankees, as the Astros try to overtake the Texas Rangers at the top of the American League West.

But, even though the Astros lost to the Yankees on Thursday, there was an overall sense of joy in seeing Verlander in an Astros hat again.

“It was great,” Baker said. “I know the guys couldn’t wait to see him. He was all smiles.”

More From SI's Inside The Astros:

Published Aug 4, 2023

MATTHEW POSTINS

Matthew Postins is an award-winning sports journalist who covers the Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros for Sports Illustrated/FanNation. He also covers he Big 12 for Heartland College Sports.