The Houston Astros placed right-hander Justin Verlander on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with a right calf injury.
The move is retroactive to Monday. The team said an MRI showed no disruption to the muscle fiber.
The 39-year-old Verlander, the leading candidate for the American League Cy Young Award, sustained the injury on Sunday while running to cover first base in the third inning of his start against the Baltimore Orioles.
On the season, Verlander is 16-3 with a 1.84 ERA. He leads the majors in ERA and leads the American League in wins.
Taking his spot on the Astros’ roster will be right-hander Brandon Bielak, 26, who was recalled from Triple-A Sugar Land. He has struck out 10 in 10 1/3 innings with a 3.48 ERA and no decisions in four appearances for the Astros this season. This will be Bielak’s third stint with the Astros this season.
In other moves, the Astros recalled outfielder/first baseman J.J. Matijevic from Sugar Land and optioned outfielder Jake Meyers to the Triple-A club.
Matijevic, 26, has played in 27 games this season with Houston, batting .200 with two doubles, two home runs and four RBIs.
Meyers, 26, hit .209 with a home run and 14 RBIs in 47 games in center field for the Astros this season.
–Field Level Media