WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Not pitching on Opening Day means that Justin Verlander can soak up the atmosphere, enjoy being introduced along the baseline, stand on the top step of the dugout and watch a teammate get the honor of taking the ball for the first game of the regular season.

Verlander, who has started on Opening Day 12 times in his career -- including three with the Astros -- will not add to that total next week. As part of his return to action this spring after missing last season following Tommy John surgery, Verlander’s pitching schedule won’t fall on April 7 -- when the Astros will face Shohei Ohtani and the Angels on Opening Day.

Astros manager Dusty Baker said Tuesday morning that Verlander likely won’t start on Opening Day against the Angels, and Verlander shed more light on the decision after throwing 62 pitches in four scoreless innings in a 3-1 win over the Nationals at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. He threw on five days of rest Tuesday after throwing on four days of rest last week in his second spring start.

“With the shortened spring, we sat down and talked about it extensively,” Verlander said. “We all agreed that trying to build up my pitch count and also [trying] to go on five days every single day just seemed like a lot of extra stress for no reason. So, yeah, we built in these starts where I had an extra blow, kind of like we would in season.”

Baker hasn’t named an Opening Day starter, though left-hander Framber Valdez, who threw three innings Monday, would line up to start April 7. Verlander could conceivably pitch the second game of the season, April 8, or later in the Angels series.

“We have a team that’s more than capable, obviously,” Verlander said. “I wasn’t here last year or really the year before at all, and all these guys showed how great they are. Opening Day is only Opening Day on the first game. After that, you’re just part of a five-man rotation.

“There’s two ways to look at it: It would be nice to be out there on Opening Day and kind of back out there in that atmosphere, but also with all the perspective I have over the last couple of years, I’m going to really enjoy this Opening Day and not having to pitch, enjoy watching the festivities, enjoying the atmosphere and just being part of the team and being in the dugout and hearing the crowd.”

Verlander started on Opening Day nine times in a 10-year span for the Tigers (2008-14, ’16-17). After being traded to the Astros late in the 2017 season, he started on Opening Day for the Astros three consecutive years (2018-20). He injured his elbow in his Opening Day start on July 24, 2020, and eventually had Tommy John surgery.

Verlander, 39, has three spring starts under his belt, and he hasn’t allowed a run and has struck out 10 batters in 8 2/3 innings. He was sitting at 94-95 mph with his fastball Tuesday, but the most important thing for Verlander is that he’s bouncing back between starts.

“After my first start -- first game action in a while -- I got a little sore and talked to everybody, and they said that’s really normal,” he said. “As a matter of fact, they said it’s kind of a good thing, especially because it didn’t impact my throwing. Just kind of stressing the ligament, the body in a new way, so I bounced back after the last one really well and felt great today. At this point, just trying to get my body, myself, my mind used to the routine.”

Verlander has one start remaining in the spring and could reach 80 pitches, which would set him up to throw maybe 90-95 pitches in his first regular-season start. He says this spring has gone as smoothly as he could have hoped coming off a lost season following elbow surgery.

“Nothing ever goes perfectly smooth, so I never want to say that,” he said. “But nothing’s gone wrong. That’s a good thing.”