Verlander throwing again after groin surgery

Astros right-hander Justin Verlander has resumed throwing after undergoing right groin surgery on March 17. He first felt the injury at the beginning of Spring Training, and after returning for a Grapefruit League start on March 3, he exited his next start early due to a strained back muscle.

Verlander initially thought he wouldn't be ready by Opening Day, but with the COVID-19 pandemic having delayed the opening of the season, it is very likely he'll be ready to go whenever baseball does resume.

"He was having a little trouble on and off, and it kind of messes with your head in Spring Training when you feel great one day and the next day you don’t and the next day you feel back," Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “So this has actually probably been a blessing in disguise for him."

Verlander, who turned 37 on Feb. 20, has defied the age curve to this point in his career. The reigning American League Cy Young Award winner posted a 2.58 ERA over an MLB-high 223 innings in 2019 and has shown no signs of slowing down, striking out 35 percent of batters he faced.