Justin Verlander was removed in the middle of a no-hitter on Tuesday night, and the pitcher has no qualms about the move.
Verlander shut out the visiting Minnesota Twins through six innings without allowing a hit. His Houston Astros were leading 2-0, so he was in line for the win when he exited.
Verlander had thrown 91 pitches, so he said after the game that he had no problem with being removed from the game.
“Six innings at 91 pitches, it’s not going to be one of those nights. Maybe 15, 10 years ago when I was allowed to throw 130-something. But not now, specifically not after Tommy John and this being my first season back. It was a pretty easy conversation,” Verlander said after the game via the Houston Chronicle’s Chandler Rome.
Verlander is 39 and missed all of last season due to Tommy John surgery, so it wouldn’t make sense for him to push a pitch limit while he’s still in his first year back, as he said. Plus, Verlander has thrown three no-hitters during his career. Running up a pitch total of 130 or so wasn’t worth the risk for him.
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