“You?re on the Battlefield??: Astros Ace Justin Verlander Relishes Postseason Feeling as Houston Inches Towards Fall Classic Return

Astros Pitcher Justin Brooks Verlander is 40. This is an age when hair starts to grey and joints start creaking. Many baseball players in the same age group have performed well and clinched their spot in the Hall of Fame. Verlander has already achieved both. Last season, he also won the World championship. Yet he does not want to hang up his cleats?

Verlander is confident. Last year he had expressed his desire to play until 45. There are still five more years for him in the sport. He is at the top of his game. But age in baseball is not just a number. At present, the average age of a baseball player is around 27. For him to continue playing, this means he will have to maintain the same regime in life he has been following, keeping himself fit for the game until now. He recently reflected on his journey and what it’s like to be on the baseball diamond.

Justin Brooks Verlander struggled to get free agency?

This comes on the heels of his reunion with the Houston Astros. That was the choice he made when he failed to materialize free agency. His past performance for Houston might have helped. It has turned out great for him and the team he joined. Their performances have improved significantly since then. His spirits are up now that their hopes for securing a third championship together are slowly becoming a reality.

?Back to Houston was a very odd feeling, but the guy there made it an easy transition,? he told Fox Sports. ?There is a lot of pressure, but I just rely on my past experience. I am as prepared as I possibly can be. I love it. You are on the battlefield, exhausted but winning. It is the best feeling in the world.???

Read more: Is Justin Verlander the Houston Astros’ Lucky Charm?

Would his age and performance allow him to play until 45?

Verlander could have been thinking about the hard time he had this season before the entry into Houston. It is evident how hard he works at this age from the American League Cy Young Award he won last year. Last year, he returned from a Tommy John surgery. But his achievements with Houston have always been remarkable. He won two World Series, became the most valuable player of 2017, reached 200 wins and 3000 strikeouts, and threw his third no-hitter.?

But the tide of fans turned against him once again when his performance did not meet their expectations against the Texas Rangers. He had four runs in six innings, which led to his team?s loss. So despite these odds, will he be able to continue to perform in the next five years?

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