For pitchers, Tommy John surgery usually means 12 to 14 months of downtime, but it appears that Houston Astros’ ace Justin Verlander believes he can beat that timeline.
Verlander underwent the procedure in September, which puts him on pace to miss the entire 2021 MLB season. However, according to Houston’s general manager James Click, the 37-year-old All-Star still “has every intention of trying to come back next year.”
“I think that would be an aggressive timetable, but we’re not taking anything off the table when it comes to a guy like that,” said Click in a chat with reporters on Thursday.
Verlander had a season to forget in 2020, as he managed to play six innings on Opening Day before being removed from the contest due to a strained forearm. He initially intended to return towards the end of the season, but further tests showed that he needs surgery in order to remove the discomfort in his pitching arm.
After several disappointing seasons, Justin Verlander managed to resurrect his career since joining the Astros in 2017. Verlander helped the franchise to a World Series win in his first year in Houston and went on to make consecutive All-Star appearances in 2018 and 2019. He also won his second AL Cy Young Award in 2019.
Verlander is set to become a free agent after the 2021 MLB season. He signed a two-year, $66 million extension with the Astros back in early 2019.
