Justin Verlander Scratched Again
Jun 19, 2015; Bronx, NY, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher
Justin Verlander(35) pitches against the New York Yankees during the sixth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
The Detroit Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander was scratched from Wednesday’s scheduled start against the Cleveland indians due to back stiffness.
Verlander didn’t make his first appearance of 2015 until mid-June because of his right triceps injury that occurred in Spring Training. On Saturday, Verlander said that he felt stiffness in his back during his start against the Yankees. Verlander is 0-1 with a 6.17 ERA in only two starts in 2015.
“It’s just kind of lingered a hair longer than we thought, trying to get over the hump. In talking with our trainers and our coaching staff, they just don’t really think at this point that it’s worth it and push it and risk further injury,” Verlander said on Tuesday evening after they beat the Indians 7-3.
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“He could probably go out there. We’re just going to be cautious and make sure he’s healthy. We want to get rid of it before he starts again. There’s no reason to risk it,” said Tigers Manager Brad Ausmus.
“You don’t want to put your team in a bind,” Verlander said. “If I go out there and start to do my warm-ups and all of a sudden I can’t make the start, and now our bullpen has to cover nine innings, that can hamper a ballclub for a week.”
Verlander was expected to be a top-tier fantasy pitcher, as he always is, but his triceps injury threw a kink in fantasy team owners’ hands. This injury has left Verlander on most waiver wires because no one wanted to hold a roster spot, but he got picked up once again when he made his first start of 2015. Now, he looks to be hurt again, but he doesn’t seem to be headed to the DL, which is a great sign for fantasy owners.
But will Verlander regain his form of old and become a dominant pitcher?
My answer: I don’t know.
Any injury to a pitcher’s arm can be devastating, especially a dominating pitcher like Verlander. As a his fantasy owner, I hope he return to his old form because I need it.
I do think that if you own Verlander that you at least need to hang on to him because he could always break out and get hot, but I don’t think he will be able to return to his former glory just quite yet.