Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander was sharp in his first game of the season on Saturday as he struck out seven Angels over five frames of work. The veteran righty allowed three hits and three walks and gave up just one run when Jared Walsh took him deep to lead off the second inning. He was saddled with a tough-luck loss since his offense couldn't help him out as his club fell 2-0, but it was encouraging nonetheless to see his fastball sit in the 95-96 MPH range all night. Early signs are indicating that Verlander's arm hasn't depreciated much, if not at all since his Tommy John Surgery as he will look to build on this 80-pitch effort next weekend with a road date against the Mariners.

Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker said that starting pitcher Justin Verlander (elbow) will "probably not" be the team's Opening Day starter this year. Baker hinted that the decision is between Verlander and Framber Valdez, and Valdez is on schedule to pitch on April 7 on the road against the Los Angeles Angels. Verlander missed the entire 2021 season after having Tommy John surgery, and he's logged only 4 2/3 innings in Grapefruit League play this spring. The eight-time All-Star and two-time Cy Young winner continues to be solid when healthy despite his age (39 years old), but coming off a lost season, fantasy managers are being much more cautious with the veteran righty. RotoBaller currently has Verlander ranked as the No. 26 fantasy starter with Opening Day quickly approaching.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander (elbow) says he still needs to get sharper as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery. Verlander threw 2 2/3 scoreless innings in spring training on Wednesday and said he "felt good physically." The two-time Cy Young winner missed all of last year after having elbow reconstruction in 2020. Verlander threw 31 of his 51 pitches for strikes, struck out two and walked one in his outing Wednesday. The veteran right-hander was pleased with his velocity, but he wants to be sharper with his command. "It's just being able to execute it a little bit more consistently where I'm trying to throw it," Verlander said. The 39-year-old was an All-Star yet again in 2019, but coming off Tommy John at his age will have fantasy managers hesitant to draft him as a fantasy ace.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander (elbow) made his first appearance in a game on Friday in spring training since the season-opener of the shortened 2020 season. The veteran right-hander looked sharp while throwing two hitless innings against the Cardinals. Verlander tossed 31 pitches and averaged 94.8 mph with his fastball. "It felt good to be back out there," Verlander said. "Body felt good, arm felt good. I think those are the most important boxes to check." The 39-year-old threw 18 of his 31 pitches for strikes and also mixed in his slider, changeup and curveball. Verlander's fantasy ADP will probably begin to fall if he proves that he's fully healthy during the course of this year's shortened camp.

Right-hander Justin Verlander's $50 million, two-year deal with the Houston Astros never was announced and presumably is not official. That means that Verlander and the Astros have to wait to finalize their new deal until a new Collective Bargaining Agreement is done. The league is officially in a lockout as of Thursday, meaning that no transactions will be permitted. It's odd that Verlander's deal wasn't officially inked after the two sides agreed two weeks ago, but there's no reason to suspect that it won't be finalized once a new CBA is agreed on. Verlander pitched in just six innings in 2020 before needing Tommy John surgery and missing all of the 2021 campaign. But back in 2019 when he was healthy, he had 300 strikeouts and a 2.58 ERA to win the American League Cy Young.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander had at least one major contract on the table other than the one he accepted from the Astros, in the form of a one-year $25 million dollar offer from the New York Yankees. It's easy to see why Verlander stuck with his former team, as his new deal is essentially worth $50 million dollars over two years with the option to opt out halfway through. This news means the Yankees are likely to be in play for starting pitchers in a market flush with options. Gerrit Cole and Jordan Montgomery are locked into the rotation for 2022, but Luis Severino, Nestor Cortes Jr., Domingo German, Jameson Taillon, and others will be battling against each other, and any new acquisitions, for the rest of the spots.

Veteran right-hander Justin Verlander is reportedly re-signing with the Houston Astros, according to a tweet from his brother, Fox Sports' Ben Verlander. Per Ben Verlander's tweet, it's a one-year deal worth $25 million that also includes a player option for the second season. Justin Verlander didn't pitch in 2021 while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. The veteran's last full season was in 2019 when he pitched to a 2.58 ERA, a 3.27 FIP, 300 strikeouts, and 42 walks in 223 innings, winning a Cy Young award in the process. The veteran will rejoin a rotation that also includes Jose Urquidy, Lance McCullers Jr., Luis Garcia, Framber Valdez, and Jake Odorizzi.

Free-agent starting pitcher Justin Verlander could choose his new team within the week, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network. Verlander reportedly has both one-year and multi-year offers on the table. Teams that have expressed interest include the Braves, the Blue Jays, the Yankees and the White Sox, though it is expected that many more teams may be in the running, including his most recent club, the Houston Astros. Verlander did not pitch in 2021 and made just one appearance in 2020 before needing Tommy John surgery, but he was his usual elite self in 2019, posting a 2.58 ERA and 0.80 WHIP in 223 innings. The 37-year-old has stated that he intends to pitch until he is 45.

The Los Angeles Angels are interested in big arms on short-term deals, which could make free-agent starting pitcher Justin Verlander a fit for them. Verlander is expected to turn down the Houston Astros' one-year, $18.4 million qualifying offer by Wednesday's deadline. The Halos just signed oft-injured, hard-throwing righty Noah Syndergaard to a one-year, $21 million deal on Tuesday and will have to give up a second-round pick as compensation, though, so it's unclear if the Angels are willing to give up another draft pick to land a 38-year-old that has made just one start in the last two seasons after having surgery on his arm, similar to Syndergaard.

Free-agent starting pitcher Justin Verlander had a showcase in front of scouts from 15-20 teams on Monday, including the New York Yankees and the New York Mets, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. The future Hall of Famer missed most of 2020 and all of 2021 rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. In '19, his most recent full season, Verlander won the Cy Young award while amassing a 21-6 record, 2.58 ERA, 35.4 K%, and 0.80 WHIP in 223.0 innings with the Houston Astros. He entered free agency after this season and received the one-year, $18.4 million qualifying offer from the Astros. However, there's a strong chance he'll decline it. Fantasy managers should be careful drafting Verlander, as he's 38 years old and there's no way to predict how he'll perform after missing almost two seasons.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander received a one-year, $18.4 million qualifying offer from the team on Sunday. If Verlander rejects the offer and signs with another club in free agency, the Astros would receive draft-pick compensation. The right-hander could end up accepting the offer, however, after missing almost two full seasons due to a right elbow injury that eventually required Tommy John surgery. He is now 38 years old and is coming off a significant injury, so he may not want to take his chances on the open market and instead return to Houston to try and prove that he's healthy in 2022. Even if Verlander returns for next season, the Astros have already shifted to more of a young starting rotation with Framber Valdez, Jose Urquidy and Luis Garcia, who was a rookie in 2021.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander (elbow) is set to be a free agent this offseason. However, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports that the Astros are likely to extend a qualifying offer to the two-time Cy Young winner. Verlander is 38 years old. He only pitched one game in 2020, then underwent Tommy John surgery, which sidelined him for the entirety of the 2021 season. In his last full season in 2019, he went 21-6 with a 2.58 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP on the way to his second AL Cy Young award. If Verlander were to turn down a qualifying offer, the Astros would receive draft pick compensation.

HOUSTON (AP) — Dusty Baker never felt quite right while navigating his first season as manager of the Houston Astros during last year’s pandemic-shortened campaign. “I felt like a substitute teacher,” Baker said. Now, halfway through his second season in Houston, he has settled in, and the Astros are tied for the second-best record in the American League as they come out of the All-Star break. “This year I feel like the teacher,” he said. “I feel like I’m one of them.” Baker was already playing catch-up in getting to know his team last season before the pandemic hit. He was hired only about two weeks before the start of spring training to replace A.J. Hinch, who was fired after being a suspended by Major League Baseball for a year for his role in the team’s sign-stealing scandal. “We had spring training, I was learning them, they were learning me and then we had the stoppage,” Baker said. “Then we had to come back right quick and then we only had 60 games and there wasn’t time for that... [More]

July 9 1902 — Rube Waddell beat Bill Dinneen 4-2 in 17 innings when light-hitting Monte Cross hit a two-run homer for Philadelphia. 1932 — Ben Chapman of the Yankees hit three homers, including two inside-the-park, as New York beat the Detroit Tigers 14-9 at Yankee Stadium. 1940 — The NL recorded the first shutout in All-Star play, with a 4-0 win at Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis. Five pitchers — Paul Derringer, Bucky Walters, Whit Wyatt, Larry French, and Carl Hubbell — held the AL to three hits. Max West hit a three-run homer. 1946 — After a one-year break due to war travel restrictions, the Americans trounced the Nationals 12-0 at Fenway Park, the most one-sided of the All-Star games. Ted Williams of the Red Sox didn’t disappoint the hometown fans. He hit two homers and two singles for five RBIs. 1968 — Willie McCovey hit into a double play, scoring Willie Mays with the only run of the 39th All-Star game, played at the Houston Astrodome. It was the first game of this series played indoors... [More]

American LeagueBaltimore — John Means, Baltimore Orioles vs. Seattle Mariners, 6-0, May 5,2021 Boston — Jon Lester vs. Kansas City, 7-0, May 19, 2008 Chicago — Carlos Rodon vs. Cleveland Indians, 8-0, April 14, 2021 Cleveland — x-Len Barker vs. Toronto, 3-0, May 15, 1981 Detroit — Spencer Turnbull at Seattle, 5-0, May 18, 2021 Houston — Justin Verlander at Toronto, 2-0, Sept. 1, 2019 Kansas City — Bret Saberhagen vs. Chicago White Sox, 7-0, Aug. 26, 1991 Los Angeles — Taylor Cole, Felix Pena (3), vs. Seattle, 13-0, July 12, 2019 Minnesota — Francisco Liriano at Chicago White Sox, 1-0, May 3, 2011 New York — Corey Kluber at Texas, 2-0, May 19, 2021 Oakland — Mike Fiers vs. Cincinnati, 2-0, May 7, 2019 Seattle — James Paxton at Toronto, 5-0, May 8, 2018 Tampa Bay — Matt Garza vs. Detroit, 5-0, July 26, 2010 Texas — x-Kenny Rogers vs. California, 4-0, July 28, 1994 Toronto — Dave Stieb at Cleveland, 3-0, Sept. 2, 1990 National League Arizona — Edwin Jackson at Tampa Bay, 1-0, June 26, 2010... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today: ___ ACHY ACUÑA The Braves are monitoring star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. after he was scratched from Atlanta’s lineup Wednesday due to lower back tightness. The 23-year-old star was removed not long before batting practice at Citi Field. “Came in today, his back was stiff. So they’re going to work on him and be kind of a day-to-day thing,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “I think just probably the wear and tear. You know, sometimes I think we get in these different hotels and things like that and the beds are different, but it was just enough that they don’t want him to play today. So, like I say, they’re working on him right now. We’ll see how he is tomorrow.” Acuña ranks among the major league leaders in several key offensive categories. He began the day hitting .285 with 20 home runs, 45 RBIs and a .996 OPS. The 2018 NL Rookie of the Year was leading the league in runs (58) and was tied for first in stolen bases (15). Atlanta is... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Thursday: ___ ACHY ACUÑA The Braves are monitoring star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. after he was scratched from Atlanta’s lineup Wednesday due to lower back tightness. The 23-year-old star was removed not long before batting practice at Citi Field. “Came in today, his back was stiff. So they’re going to work on him and be kind of a day-to-day thing,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “I think just probably the wear and tear. You know, sometimes I think we get in these different hotels and things like that and the beds are different, but it was just enough that they don’t want him to play today. So, like I say, they’re working on him right now. We’ll see how he is tomorrow.” Acuña ranks among the major league leaders in several key offensive categories. He began the day hitting .285 with 20 home runs, 45 RBIs and a .996 OPS. The 2018 NL Rookie of the Year was leading the league in runs (58) and was tied for first in stolen bases (15). Atlanta... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Maikel Franco hit a two-run homer with one out in the eighth inning, denying the Houston Astros in their attempt to throw a combined no-hitter Monday night at Baltimore. Astros starter Jake Odorizzi and reliever Cristian Javier held the Orioles without a hit through seven innings. Then there was a 41-minute rain delay in the top of the eighth. Brandon Bielak came on to pitch the bottom of the eighth for Houston, and after he hit Austin Hays with a pitch with one out — just the second baserunner for Baltimore — Franco sent a drive to deep center field. The Astros lead 10-2. Earlier in Franco's at-bat, Bielak appeared to have thrown strike three, but he didn't get the call from plate umpire Angel Hernandez. Houston was looking to pitch the seventh no-hitter in the majors this season. That would have matched 1990, 1991, 2012 and 2015 for the most since 1900, one shy of the record eight in 1884 — the first season overhand pitching was allowed. Odorizzi pitched the first five... [More]

American LeagueBaltimore — John Means, Baltimore Orioles vs. Seattle Mariners, 6-0, May 5,2021 Boston — Jon Lester vs. Kansas City, 7-0, May 19, 2008 Chicago — Carlos Rodon vs. Cleveland Indians, 8-0, April 14, 2021 Cleveland — x-Len Barker vs. Toronto, 3-0, May 15, 1981 Detroit — Spencer Turnbull at Seattle, 5-0, May 18, 2021 Houston — Justin Verlander at Toronto, 2-0, Sept. 1, 2019 Kansas City — Bret Saberhagen vs. Chicago White Sox, 7-0, Aug. 26, 1991 Los Angeles — Taylor Cole, Felix Pena (3), vs. Seattle, 13-0, July 12, 2019 Minnesota — Francisco Liriano at Chicago White Sox, 1-0, May 3, 2011 New York — Corey Kluber at Texas, 2-0, May 19, 2021 Oakland — Mike Fiers vs. Cincinnati, 2-0, May 7, 2019 Seattle — James Paxton at Toronto, 5-0, May 8, 2018 Tampa Bay — Matt Garza vs. Detroit, 5-0, July 26, 2010 Texas — x-Kenny Rogers vs. California, 4-0, July 28, 1994 Toronto — Dave Stieb at Cleveland, 3-0, Sept. 2, 1990 National League Arizona — Edwin Jackson at Tampa Bay, 1-0, June 26, 2010... [More]

SEATTLE (AP) — Spencer Turnbull pitched the fifth no-hitter in the majors this season, sending the Detroit Tigers to a 5-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday night. Turnbull, who led the big leagues with 17 losses two years ago, had never gone more than seven innings in any of his previous 49 starts over three seasons. The five no-hitters through May 18 match the 1917 season for the most in baseball history by that date. Turnbull’s no-hitter was the eighth in Tigers history and their first since Justin Verlander’s in Toronto on May 7, 2011. The 28-year-old right-hander got a great defensive play from third baseman Jeimer Candelario in the seventh inning and then struck out Mitch Haniger in the ninth to end it. Turnbull (3-2) struck out nine and walked two. Turnbull threw 117 pitches, 77 for strikes. Haniger was the only batter to hit the ball hard enough to threaten a base hit. METS 4, BRAVES 3 ATLANTA (AP) — The New York Mets got homers from Jonathan Villar and Tomás Nido, an... [More]