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Star stopped: ODU’s Verlander unlikely to pitch in MLB All-Star Game

Posted at 10:37 PM, Jul 03, 2018
and last updated 2018-07-03 22:37:35-04

Justin Verlander of the Houston Astros. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

HOUSTON, Texas – Pitcher Justin Verlander, the former Old Dominion University star, is expected to be selected to his seventh All-Star Game later this month. However, the Houston Astros ace and Goochland, VA native, is not expected to appear in the game to be played in Washington, D.C.

Verlander is scheduled to start for Houston vs. Detroit, his former team, Sunday July 15th – just two days before Major League Baseball’s Midsummer Classic. Because of that, Astros manager A.J. Hinch, who will manage the American League team in the All-Star Game, told MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart he notified Major League Baseball that Verlander will be starting on July 15 – and pitchers who start July 15th are not eligible to pitch in the July 17th exhibition game.

Justin Verlander of the Houston Astros. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

In 2018, Verlander owns a 9-and-4 record with a 2.12 earned run average (ERA) – the second-best in the American League. His 144 strikeouts in 118.2 innings pitched rank fifth-best in the A.L.

At ODU, Verlander pitched in 46 games for the Monarchs from 2002 to 2004, starting all 46. He won 21 career games and is the all-time strikeout king in ODU, the Colonial Athletic Association and the Commonwealth of Virginia history with 427 in only 335.2 innings of work for an average of 11.5 strikeouts per nine innings.