Astros’ Justin Verlander scratched from start vs. Tigers due to neck discomfort

HOUSTON — Astros ace Justin Verlander was scratched from his scheduled start Saturday with neck discomfort, inviting more concern about the viability of Houston’s nonexistent rotation depth.

Verlander said his neck began bothering him “a couple weeks ago” but he attempted to pitch through it. He lasted just five innings in each of his past two starts, during which Verlander displayed some scattered command and surrendered eight earned runs.

“When I was out there, I felt like it wasn’t really bothering me, but when I go home and sit down and really think about it, I think it’s too much of a coincidence that my mechanics were really thrown off at the same time I was dealing with this,” Verlander said Saturday afternoon.

Verlander’s neck pain persisted during his scheduled bullpen session on Wednesday. He cut it short as a precaution, which precipitated Saturday’s scratch.

“If this was playoff time, I’d like to think I’d be out there,” Verlander said. “But that pattern where it’s every day getting a little bit better, I think with the off days, it’s best to let it fully resolve itself and I hope it does.”

Verlander did not make his season debut until April 19 after a shoulder issue set him back in spring training. He’s thrown 57 innings in his first 10 starts of the season, one in which he must throw 140 frames to trigger a $35 million vesting option for 2025.

Neither Verlander nor manager Joe Espada seemed to think the 41-year-old right-hander would require a stint on the injured list, but both cautioned it is a “day-to-day” situation. The team having three scheduled days off through June 27 will allow Verlander some flexibility in recovering.

A scheduled off day on Thursday allowed the team to bump Sunday’s scheduled starter, Spencer Arrighetti, to Verlander’s vacated spot on Saturday. The team did not name a starter for Sunday.

Because of Thursday’s off day, Ronel Blanco would be available to pitch on regular rest, but Espada seemed wary of taxing a pitcher who hasn’t thrown more than 125 innings in any professional season. Blanco’s thrown at least 95 pitches during each of his past five starts, too.

If the club wants to give Blanco extra rest, veteran left-hander Eric Lauer may be the most logical option to make Sunday’s start. Lauer, who signed a minor-league deal in May, is listed as the probable starter for Triple-A Sugar Land on Sunday. Lauer is not on the team’s 40-man roster. 

Verlander is one of five healthy starters with meaningful major-league experience on Houston’s 40-man roster. The team already lost José Urquidy and Cristian Javier to season-ending Tommy John surgery. Neither Lance McCullers Jr. nor Luis Garcia have thrown a pitch, either, while recovering from elbow surgeries of their own.

“It’s tough because of the starters who have gone down for us and how every game means more for us right now in the position we are in,” said Espada, whose club entered Saturday six games below .500. “But I do still feel like we have some depth, but it’s not what you want to hear during this stretch.” 

(Photo: Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)