Astros leave Verlander off wild-card roster vs. Tigers

The Houston Astros didn't include three-time Cy Young winner Justin Verlander on their wild-card series roster against the Detroit Tigers, the Astros announced Tuesday.

Verlander is coming off the worst season of his 19-year career, authoring a 5.48 ERA with 1.38 WHIP and 74 strikeouts over 90 1/3 innings (17 starts) during an injury-plagued campaign.

"A true pro. He is a true pro," Astros manager Joe Espada said when asked about the decision to omit Verlander, according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic.

The 41-year-old is slated to become a free agent at the end of the 2024 season.

Verlander helped the Astros win a World Series in 2017 and 2022. The nine-time All-Star posted a 2.71 ERA with 0.92 WHIP and 10.7 K/9 across seven years with Houston, which included winning the AL Cy Young twice (2019, 2022)

The right-hander spent the first 13 years of his career with the Tigers, earning 2011 AL MVP and Cy Young honors to go along with 2006 AL Rookie of the Year.