Houston Astros Justin Verlander Hit Hard by A's Prospect in Rehab Start

Jason Burke | Apr 8, 2024

Feb 18, 2024; West Palm Beach, FL, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander (35) looks / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Houston Astros starter Justin Verlander told reporters that he felt great following his rehab start with Triple-A Sugar Land, tossing 65 pitches against the Oakland A's affiliate, the Las Vegas Aviators. Another player that likely felt great following Verlander's outing was A's No. 7 prospect on MLB Pipeline, Max Muncy.

Muncy, 21, is getting his first taste of Triple-A this season and is off to a pretty hot start, going 9-for-25 (.360) with a .429 OBP, three doubles, a home run, and two steals through seven games played. On Sunday against Justin Verlander, Muncy smoked a double on the first pitch he saw, a 94.6 miles per hour four-seamer, in the second inning at 106.6 mph off the bat. The hit drove home third baseman Brett Harris, who had tripled in the previous at-bat, and Muncy was brought home by recently demoted Esteury Ruiz, who clubbed a double of his own.

The Aviators put up five runs in the inning and would end up winning 10-6.

Muncy came up again in the fourth inning, and after Hoy Park reached on an error and Harris walked, the shortstop settled into the box and swatted another double, knocking Verlander out of the game. This one had an exit velo of 97.7 mph. The plate appearance lasted six pitches, the first three of which were all sliders after the rocket Muncy hit the first time around.

While beating up on three-time Cy Young winners has to be fun, Muncy's day didn't stop there. In the sixth inning, Houston's affiliate brought in former top prospect Forrest Whitley. The first batter he had to face was Muncy, who drove the curveball he was offered out to left, again at 97.7 mph.

Muncy finished the day 3-for-4 with two doubles and a home run. Verlander went a total of three innings pitched, gave up 7 hits, seven runs (six earned), walked one, and struck out six. Recently DFA'd Adrián Martínez ended up with the win in the contest while Verlander took the loss.

Ruiz was batting leadoff for the Aviators and went 2-for-5 with a double and a strikeout in the contest. In five games against Sugar Land, the 25-year-old went 7-for-19 (.368) with five walks and a hit by pitch to give him a .520 OBP. He also struck out five times and stole six bases.

Down in Midland, last year's number six overall selection, Jacob Wilson, went 3-for-5. Through three games he is 5-for-13 (.385) with five singles, a walk, and four strikeouts. The RockHounds won 5-0 to improve to 3-0 on the year.