Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander will miss the remainder of the 2020 season with an elbow injury, according to the Houston Chronicle‘s Chandler Rome.
The 37-year-old started Opening Day for the Astros on Friday, earning the win after pitching six innings. After Sunday’s loss to the Seattle Mariners, Astros manager Dusty Baker said Verlander suffered a forearm strain and will be reevaluated in a couple of weeks.
Justin Verlander diagnosed with forearm strain
Verlander, an eight-time All-Star, won the AL Cy Young Award following a dominant 2019 season. Houston now loses its ace indefinitely and with his long-term availability uncertain, the club is dealt a major blow to its hopes for World Series contention this season.
He suffered a groin injury during spring training that ultimately led to him undergoing surgery when MLB suspended play in March. However, he made a full recovery and tweaked his mechanics to help extend the longevity of his career and maintain his health.
Verlander posted a 2.58 ERA with 300 strikeouts across 223 innings this past season for the Astros. He also recorded the third no-hitter in his career and became a member of MLB’s 3,000-strikeout club in 2019.
Houston was already without starting pitcher José Urquidy to begin the season after the rookie missed most of spring training 2.0 with an undisclosed issue. While Urquidy is cleared to resume baseball activities, he is still expected to miss several weeks before returning to the rotation.