Tigers fans got a little scare on Sunday afternoon when Justin Verlander departed in the third inning after some leg discomfort. He was later removed from the game for “precautionary reasons” diagnosed with a tight right groin.
An MRI came back clean on Monday regarding Verlander’s injured groin and it doesn’t appear things are too severe. However, his next scheduled start remains to be determined.
Justin Verlander's MRI was clean and revealed no structural damage. He will be reevaluated as the week progresses and his next start is TBD.
— Tigers PR (@DetroitTigersPR) June 5, 2017
Anyone who watched Sunday’s series finale against the White Six could notice Verlander really trying to tough it out. He went just two innings plus two batters in the third, needing 72 pitches to do so.
Fortunately, the team got four marvelous innings of two-hit ball from long reliever Warwick Saupold, giving the Tigers a chance to still win on Sunday. They eventually carried a 4-2 lead into the eighth before Chicago tied it up a 4-4.
Thanks to Justin Upton’s walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth, Detroit swept the series from the White Sox. They have now won four straight, five of their last six and are back at .500 overall, 2.5 games back in the Central Division.
NEXT START FOR JV?
As of now, Verlander’s next scheduled start is this coming Saturday, June 10 on the road against the Boston Red Sox. And for now, it appears that he will be good to go but that is obviously subject to change.
Off days today and next Monday (June 12) present the Tigers with some flexibility, should they entertain putting him on the 10-day disabled list. They already have a vacancy in the rotation after optioning Matt Boyd to Toledo on Friday. Boyd’s next spot is this Wednesday, June 7 at home against the Angels but it remains to be seen who will be called up to take his spot, if it’s not Boyd himself.
Anticipate some news in the coming days in terms of potential shuffling in the rotation.
