During a challenging season, Justin Verlander chose the perfect time to showcase his top-tier skills, reminiscent of his peak years.
It couldn’t have come at a better moment for both Verlander and the Houston Astros.
Verlander nearly completed a shutout, giving up three hits and navigating the single tricky situation he encountered. This masterful display bolstered the Astros in their American League playoff contention with a 5-1 victory against the Seattle Mariners on Monday night.
Delivering a performance reminiscent of his prime, Verlander reminded everyone of his status as one of the elite right-handed pitchers in baseball history. He was nearly sealing his first complete game since his 2019 no-hitter against Toronto. However, manager Dusty Baker decided to replace him after Josh Rojas opened the ninth inning with a double.
In the wake of a weekend sweep by Kansas City at home, Verlander’s stellar performance was exactly what Houston needed. This victory pushed the Astros’ lead over Seattle to 1½ games for the American League’s final wild-card spot, while they stayed 2½ games behind Texas in the AL West.
“It’s been a year where nothing has come easy,” reflected Verlander. “Hopefully, this can spark a momentum shift for us.”
Rojas ‘ double interrupted Verlander’s impressive streak of retiring 16 consecutive batters. But by then, the Astros had already established their dominance in the match. Across the game, Verlander (12-8) recorded eight strikeouts, allowed a single walk and delivered 96 pitches.
“I was admittedly getting a bit worn out, but I was grateful for the opportunity to try for a complete game shutout,” Verlander commented. “Even though it didn’t pan out, it’s fine.”
This game marked his 56th career outing, allowing just one earned run over at least eight innings. This ties him with Cliff Lee for fourth in such performances over the last two decades, trailing Félix Hernández (71), Clayton Kershaw (63), and Roy Halladay (57).
Seattle’s fourth consecutive loss placed them further behind Texas in the division. “Every defeat stings right now, but we can’t dwell on them,” said Seattle’s shortstop J.P. Crawford. “We must stay positive and prepare for the next game.”
Against Seattle’s starting pitcher, Luis Castillo (14-8), the Astros sparked a three-run rally in the second inning and further padded their lead with solo homers from Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker. Alvarez’s 30th season home run came in the third inning, while Tucker’s, which marked his 110th RBI (leading the AL), was in the sixth.
In Verlander’s first matchup with Seattle since last year’s AL Division Series, the Mariners only managed to threaten him once. They had the bases loaded in the third inning, but Verlander effectively countered, resulting in a double play and neutralizing the danger.
“It was essential to manage the situation against one of baseball’s best hitters,” Verlander noted. “The double play was a huge relief.”
Verlander’s no-run streak ended in the ninth when Rojas scored following Rodriguez’s sacrifice fly.
Despite Seattle’s 10-game winning streak when Castillo started, he experienced his first defeat since mid-July. Castillo pitched for six innings, conceding five runs from eight hits and striking out eight.
Seattle’s manager, Scott Servais, remarked, “Luis Castillo was in top form today. Unfortunately, a few misplaced fastballs in the second inning cost us.”
Castillo was on the verge of closing the inning when Mauricio Dubón sent a 2-2 fastball to center field, allowing José Abreu to score. RBI singles from Martín Maldonado and Jose Altuve swiftly followed this. Within just six pitches, what was a tie turned into a 3-0 lead for Houston.
“It was significant to get that momentum and take the lead,” Baker commented.
This marked Verlander’s 38th start against Seattle. He’s delivered at least seven scoreless innings on three occasions against the Mariners. The eight strikeouts in this game were the second-highest he’s achieved this season.
With this victory, Verlander’s career win tally reached 256, placing him alongside Andy Pettitte at 42nd in the all-time rankings.