Houston Astros manager Joe Espada announced on Tuesday that starting pitcher Justin Verlander will start the 2024 season on the injured list due to a shoulder injury.
The 41-year-old reported to camp behind schedule after he was forced to stop throwing during the winter. He is not expected to miss an extended period and should be good to go within the early portions of the season.
His workload will be something the Mets could be keeping an eye on this season. After signing him to a two-year, $86.6 million with a $35 million vested club option, Verlander spent just half a season in Queens. An arm issue pushed back his team debut until May 4 and due to the team’s underachieving 2023 season, he was dealt back to the Astros — a team he spent five seasons with — at the trade deadline for top prospects Drew Gilbert and Ryan Clifford.
Mets owner Steve Cohen was able to maximize his side’s return by eating $52.2 million of Verlander’s deal, which included half of that $35 million option if he’s able to pitch in 140 innings in 2024. If the righty doesn’t hit that benchmark, it saves the Mets $17.5 million.
Despite missing the first month of the season last year, the future Hall-of-Famer recorded 162.1 innings pitched.
