Verlander off, Yordan on Wild Card Series roster

HOUSTON -- The Astros on Tuesday set their American League Wild Card Series roster vs. the Tigers, which includes 11 pitchers and 15 position players. While Yordan Alvarez (right knee sprain) and Chas McCormick (right hand fracture) were dealing with injuries, they were included on the roster, but Justin Verlander was not on it. The 41-year-old pitcher was listed on the taxi squad.

"It was a very easy conversation," manager Joe Espada said. "Justin Verlander is a professional. He knows how well our starting pitchers have to perform throughout the season. So when we had this conversation, he was all-in. He'll do what's best for this team. So I appreciated his feedback and how he evaluated his season and his last few starts. True pro. He is a true pro."

Alvarez is in the lineup for Game 1, starting at designated hitter and batting third against Tigers ace Tarik Skubal.

"I saw him hit and run," Espada said. "Obviously, we're not going to see, at least on the bases in his running, a 100% Yordan. But I wanted to see him hit. I wanted to see him kind of push off and spin on that front side and do things that I'm going to be expecting him to do today, and he did those things well.

"So our lineup is different with that guy in there, and he's in there, and I'm excited about that."

Four players on the roster have no postseason playing experience: right-handers Spencer Arrighetti and Ronel Blanco, infielder Zach Dezenzo and left-hander Bryan King. Arrighetti and Blanco are starting pitchers available in the bullpen, which could be key in a long game, and King joins Caleb Ferguson as matchup lefties available against Detroit lefty batters

Astros' Wild Card Series roster:

Catchers (3): Victor Caratini, Yainer Diaz, César Salazar

Infielders (7): Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, Zach Dezenzo, Mauricio Dubón, Jeremy Peña, Jon Singleton, Grae Kessinger

Outfielders (4): Jason Heyward, Chas McCormick, Jake Meyers, Kyle Tucker

DH (1): Yordan Alvarez

Starting pitchers (3): Framber Valdez, Hunter Brown, Yusei Kikuchi

Relief pitchers (8): Bryan Abreu, Spencer Arrighetti, Ronel Blanco, Caleb Ferguson, Josh Hader, Bryan King, Héctor Neris, Ryan Pressly