Detroit Tigers star pitcher Justin Verlander is dealing with a tricep issue that could put the right-hander on the disabled list to start the season.
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Verlander Could Head to DL with Tricep Issue
Tuesday, March 31
On March 30, ESPN.com reported Verlander would miss his next scheduled start with a tricep issue.
Brad Iott of MLive.com reported on Verlander’s status, courtesy of Detroit manager Brad Ausmus:
Verlander won the American League Cy Young Award and the pitching Triple Crown in 2011, posting MLB-best totals in wins, ERA and strikeouts that year. However, he experienced adversity in 2014, as injuries hampered him and led to one of the worst seasons of his career.
A nagging right shoulder problem and surgery before the season to address an abdominal injury were among the ailments Verlander suffered last year.
Before the 2015 campaign, Verlander expressed optimism about his health, per Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal:
To be honest, it’s night and day. I feel better than I have in years. I was able to get back into my normal routine, get into the weight room. I also was seeing a physical therapist for an hour and a half, three days a week, just learning about my body, how the surgery could have affected me. I feel great right now.
Losing Max Scherzer to the Washington Nationals this winter was a big blow to Detroit’s pitching rotation. The good news is the Tigers have another ace in southpaw David Price to help fill the void, and it’s important for Price to make the most of his starts while Verlander recovers.
Veteran Anibal Sanchez is another solid option on the Detroit staff. Although he has a strong career ERA, Sanchez dealt with injuries of his own in 2014.
Thus, it is even more important that Verlander’s latest injury is only minor. Based on his prior durability and tremendous workload, he has to hope his latest string of health issues isn’t an ongoing trend.
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