NEW YORK -- Astros pitcher Justin Verlander has been spending time with Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson this season, with the two often meeting for dinner to discuss the mental side of the game.

“He’s an incredible man,” Verlander said. “I think it's been a lot of fun. Obviously being in the same city and just kind of being in the spotlight like he is, I guess we just kind of relate that way. Honestly, I was blown away after the first time meeting him, just his demeanor, how smart he was, his charisma, all the things that you want to see in a young athlete.

“And it's not like I'm trying to mentor him; he's just an awesome person I want to hang out with. He's an awesome dude.”

According to an article in Bleacher Report, Watson sometimes sits with Verlander while he reviews video to study the veteran righty's mental approach about how he attacks hitters.

Watson, selected by the Texans in the first round in the 2017 NFL Draft out of Clemson, has blossomed into one of the best quarterbacks in the league this year, throwing for 1,644 yards with 12 touchdowns and only three interceptions for the 4-2 Texans.

Strom reaches out to New York police

A group of New York police officers assigned to an anti-crime unit in the Bronx that focuses on making gun arrests and responding to violent crime was given Astros gear by pitching coach Brent Strom on the field at Yankee Stadium prior to Game 4 of the ALCS.

John Leonard, a friend of Strom, set up the meeting. Leonard -- whose son, Garrett Leonard, was selected in the 15th round of the MLB Draft by the Pirates this year -- spearheads a program that promotes good deeds of police. The officers who met Strom recently lost one of their men in the line of duty.

“We didn't talk baseball,” Strom said. “I told some stories and basically thanked them for their service and got them some hats and shirts and things like that, and hopefully swayed a few of them to become Astros fans even though they live in the Bronx.”