Now Officially On Disabled List, Verlander Will Not Start Sunday; Level Of Concern Still Low
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
CBS DETROIT - Justin Verlander will not start Sunday as previously expected, Detroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus announced Wednesday morning. Kyle Lobstein will start instead.
Verlander, whom the Tigers have now officially placed on the disabled list for the first time in his career, threw long toss Tuesday and felt good. His most recent bullpen, on Sunday, did not go quite so well.
"He felt something the last couple [of pitches]," Ausmus said, "but the next day he felt good. Yesterday he felt good throwing, but he was just long tossing."
The original plan, for Verlander to face hitters Tuesday, was scrapped after the iffy ending to that most recent bullpen session.
"It just kind of grabbed me a little bit, and then the next day it was sore, which is why I wasn't able to go on Tuesday," Verlander said. "Obviously if I was sore the day after throwing a bullpen like that, it was probably not the smartest move to go back out there and try to pitch in a game on Tuesday, so that is what set everything back a little bit. That was a little disappointing, obviously, but turn the page and try to get ready for the next one."
While Verlander was obviously bummed not to be able to start Sunday, he said Ausmus and head athletic trainer Kevin Rand told him to take all the time he needs for his arm to get back to normal.
"Everything that I'm doing, I try to get ready for Sunday," Verlander said. "It's just the days just kind of start to stack up, and I needed to pitch on Tuesday to be able to do that, and I just wasn't ready. And I talked to Brad and Kevin on the phone, and they [said], 'Listen, if you're not 100 percent, don't even try to push it at this point. We need you for six months, not one start.'
"If this was September, it might be a different story," Verlander added. "I might be pitching through some stuff right now, but talking with the coaching staff, they don't want me to do that right now."
Verlander said he did not undergo any additional tests after noting some discomfort in his bullpen Sunday. He said his level of concern is low.
"I'm positive it's going to go away," Verlander said. "Early on, it was kind of grabby, I guess. Right now it's more just kind of achy. It just gets tired quickly.
"Some days that are really good, and then some days it's a little cranky, but definitely a lot better than it was a few days ago or a week ago," Verlander continued. "It's definitely trending in the right direction. It's obviously taking longer than I would like, but it's just kind of one of those things that you can't really speed up the process. You've just got to wait until you're ready."
Neither Verlander nor Ausmus knows when that will be. The Tigers are taking the situation day by day.
"I can't tell you exactly where we're going to slot him in because really, after Sunday, we could slot him in anywhere, depending on how he felt," Ausmus said, "so I can't tell you where he's going to pitch at this point."
Before Verlander can be penciled into the rotation, he will likely pitch a simulated game.
"He's got to face hitters and then feel okay facing hitters and feel okay the next day," Ausmus said.
"He hasn't thrown to hitters in a couple weeks, so it is a little bit of a step back, but he has continued to throw, so his arm's gotten some work, but that's part of the reason you have to go through a bullpen and face hitters," Ausmus added. "He's certainly not starting from ground zero again."
Verlander concurred with that assessment.
"I don't really think I've lost anything," Verlander said. "When I'm throwing and it feels good, it's coming out great. Everything feels good. Arm strength, mechanics, I don't think you lose that, especially - I really only took three or four days off from throwing, so I don't think you're going to lose it."
Verlander had started Opening Day for the Tigers for seven straight seasons before Monday, when David Price started instead and allowed no runs over 8 2/3 innings. Ausmus had already announced Price would get the start before Verlander's triceps strain happened, but because of the injury Verlander was throwing in Florida on Monday, away from the team.
"Sitting at home watching the first game of the year wasn't easy," Verlander said. "David made it easier for me to watch, but different process, I guess. It's kind of like you've been through it before because I've seen guys go through it, obviously, a lot. So I guess maybe you kind of get used to it, and I talk to guys when they're on the DL or whatever, so I guess maybe I live ... through them, so I kind of know what to experience, so it's not like a shock to the system, I guess, but it's difficult, just not being here to help."