Justin Verlander DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Houston Astros manager Joe Espada said that right-hander Justin Verlander (neck) will throw another bullpen session on Saturday. Verlander used all of his pitches in a 25-pitch bullpen session on Sunday and will have another side session this weekend as he works his way back from a neck issue that landed him on the 15-day injured list in the middle of June. It's unclear if the 41-year-old three-time Cy Young winner will need a short minor-league rehab assignment before returning to Houston's starting rotation, but if he doesn't need one, he'll have a good shot at returning before the calendar flips to August. The future Hall of Famer is no longer an elite fantasy starter, but he still deserves to be rostered in all fantasy leagues and has gone 3-2 with an ERA under 4.00 with a 1.21 WHIP and a 51:17 K:BB in 57 innings over his 10 starts in 2024.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander (neck) threw a successful 25-pitch bullpen session on Sunday. The 41-year-old continues to work his way back from a neck issue that has sidelined him for about a month. It sounds like Verlander is making progress, but the Astros are going to continue being cautious with him. He'll still need to do a few rehab outings before rejoining the Astros rotation. The hope is that Verlander can help the Astros over the final few months of the season.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander (neck) played catch for a third straight day ahead of Friday's series opener against the division-rival Texas Rangers. Manager Joe Espada is encouraged by Verlander's progress and said the right-hander mentioned throwing from the mound, so that could be something that happens relatively soon. While the 41-year-old former All-Star won't be back with the Astros until sometime after the All-Star break, he appears to be close to taking a significant step forward in his throwing progression on the way back from neck stiffness. Verlander holds a solid 3.95 ERA (4.99 FIP) and 1.21 WHIP with 51 strikeouts and 17 walks through 57 innings (10 starts) in Houston's rotation in 2024, and he deserves to be stashed in all fantasy leagues.

Houston Astros right-hander Justin Verlander (neck) said he's now throwing more than every other day and is feeling better. However, he did not give a timetable for when he could resume throwing off a mound again. The good news is that Verlander is throwing, but the bad news is he's recovering slowly from a neck issue and probably isn't going to be ready to return to Houston's starting rotation for the start of the second half of the season at this pace. The 41-year-old three-time Cy Young is most likely going to require a minor-league rehab assignment before being reinstated from the injured list in the second half. Rookie right-hander Spencer Arrighetti's spot in Houston's rotation should be secure for a while with Verlander still sidelined. The future Hall of Famer is no longer a fantasy ace and has only a 21.3% strikeout rate this year, but he should still be stashed in all leagues.

Houston Astros manager Joe Espada acknowledged on Thursday that right-hander Justin Verlander (neck) will not return to the team until after the All-Star break in mid-July. Neck soreness landed Verlander on the 15-day injured list in mid-June, and he won't return to the team's starting rotation until the second half of the season. The 41-year-old future Hall of Famer has already resumed playing catch, though. Given the fact that Verlander hasn't thrown off a mound in almost a month, fantasy managers will need to expect him to need at least one minor-league rehab start before he returns to Houston's starting rotation. But if he avoids any setbacks, Verlander could be back in the fold before August. The three-time Cy Young winner isn't the dominant pitcher he was in his prime and is currently sorting a 21.3% strikeout rate with a 3.95 ERA (4.98 FIP) and 1.21 WHIP in 57 innings (10 starts).