Mets’ Justin Verlander grinds out strong outing in 117-pitch outing
Justin Verlander showed promising signs in his latest outing for the Mets, despite the team’s 3-0 loss to the Blue Jays at Citi Field on Friday. Verlander, who missed the first month of the season recovering from a teres major strain he suffered in spring training, pitched well enough to forget his loss to the Rockies on May 27. Although George Springer of the Blue Jays got ahead of Verlander in the first pitch with a home run, the co-ace pitched consistently for the rest of the six-inning game, striking out eight and allowing five hits and one earned run with three walks. Mets manager Buck Showalter said Verlander gave them a great chance to win, but the team failed to score. Verlander was also left in a pickle in the top of the sixth inning after his own fielding error, a close-call walk, and a single opened up Toronto’s bases with two outs. However, he rose to the occasion delivering a strikeout on two fastballs and a slider to get Daulton Varsho swinging. Although it didn’t change the outcome, it could have. Verlander received two line drives off his upper right thigh and threw 117 pitches, the most for a pitcher over 40 years old since R.A. Dickey did for the Braves in 2017.
FAQs:
Who is Justin Verlander?
Justin Verlander is a co-ace pitcher for the Mets.
What happened in the Mets vs Blue Jays game?
The Mets lost 3-0 to the Blue Jays, but Verlander showed his abilities during the game.
What happened to Verlander before the season started?
Verlander had a teres major strain he suffered during the spring training, which made him miss the first month of the season.
How did Verlander perform in the game?
Although he allowed a home run in the first pitch, he recovered well and pitched consistently for the remaining innings, striking out eight and allowing five hits and one earned run with three walks.
Who is Buck Showalter?
Buck Showalter is the manager for the Mets.
Justin Verlander of the Mets perseveres through a 117-pitch game, delivering an impressive performance.
Justin Verlander showed promise in a gritty outing on Friday as he attempted to repeat his stellar 2022 season with the Mets. He missed the first month of the season due to a teres major strain he suffered in spring training. However, he pitched well enough in the Mets’ 3-0 loss to the Blue Jays at Citi Field to erase the memories of his last outing when he allowed nine hits and six earned runs. Verlander threw 117 pitches and allowed one earned run on five hits with eight strikeouts and three walks in six innings. He was glad to pass his test to keep his arm on track.
Mets manager Buck Showalter commented on Verlander’s performance, saying, “Gives up a home run to lead off the game and then puts up a lot of zeros there. … That’s impressive.” He added that Verlander “has been doing it a long time, being able to dial up what was needed to keep us in the game there.”
The game wasn’t easy for Verlander as he had to endure taking two line drives off his upper right thigh. Furthermore, the 117 pitches he threw marked the most for a pitcher 40 years or older since R.A. Dickey threw 121 for the Braves in 2017. However, Verlander felt good physically and said, “I’m glad I was able to come through. That’s how you win those type of ball games.”