Former Astros star just created the perfect storm for a reunion nobody predicted

It's been apparent since Opening Day that the Houston Astros starting rotation would be a work in progress throughout the 2025 season. With so many pitchers on the IL to start the year, Houston was forced to turn to a bunch of rookies and no-names at various points throughout the season. Unfortunately, the same may be true in 2026 as well.

The Astros were without Christian Javier, Luis Garcia, J.P. France, and Lance McCullers Jr. to begin the 2025 season, and 2026 is likely to be littered with a similar group of injured starters to begin the year. Garcia, Ronel Blanco, Brandon Walter, and Hayden Wesneski could all start next season on the IL.

Furthermore, there's almost zero chance that All-Star starter Framber Valdez is back on the bump for Houston in 2026. The left-hander will be one of the most sought-after arms in free agency this winter, and his price tag will likely take him out of Houston's comfort zone.

Former Astros star Justin Verlander created the perfect storm for a reunion nobody predicted

But there's soon to be another free agent who could pique Houston's interest this coming offseason. Justin Verlander — who left the Astros organization this past winter and joined the San Francisco Giants on a one-year, $15-million deal — wants to pitch again in 2026 despite the fact he'll be 43 years old before Opening Day.

And before Astros fans roll their eyes and think that this reunion could (and should) never happen, one look at his stats, especially over the last month, proves that the nine-time All-Star still has some gas left in the tank.

On the year, Verlander is 3-10 with a 3.75 ERA in 27 starts. He has 127 punch outs in 141⅔ innings pitched. While those numbers fall short of his outstanding 2022 season with the Astros — one in which he won the AL Cy Young Award — they're nowhere near the down-year he had in 2024 when he started just 17 games and owned a 5.48 ERA.

Over his last five starts, Verlander has looked like the Cy Young winner he was back in 2022. The veteran right-hander is 2-0 with a sparkling 0.87 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 31 innings. He's gone at least six innings in four of those five starts, including back-to-back seven-inning performances in which he allowed just one earned run.

Of course there's risk in signing an aging star like Verlander, but given his history in Houston and the Astros lack of depth in the starting rotation, this reunion feels much more likely than it did a few months back. Who says you can't go home?

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