Justin Verlander's reaction to phantom HBP perfectly captured Astros fans' outrage

The 2024 season has certainly not gone the way Justin Verlander had hoped. The Houston Astros starter began the year on the injured list, and after coming off his most recent stint on the IL, Verlander has struggled to return to the form that places him as one of the top pitchers in the game. There is even a growing number of fans and pundits who don't see Verlander joining the Astros' postseason roster.

But on Tuesday night against the San Diego Padres, Verlander's reaction to a potential game-altering call from the umpiring crew (and the instant replay review center in New York) perfectly encapsulated the feelings of the entire Astros fanbase.

Justin Verlander was noticeably shocked after the Astros were screwed by the umps

Given how the entire game on Tuesday night at Petco Park unfolded, it's doubtful that Verlander's reaction to the umpire's insane call in the bottom of the 10th inning was the only time he made such a face, but it was one that was caught on camera.

During the 10th inning, with the Astros leading 4-3 and two outs, Padres outfielder Jurickson Profar stepped into the batters' box. Astros reliever Hector Neris buzzed Profar up and in, and the umpire ruled that the batter was hit by the pitch. The batter ... disagreed. So did Verlander.

Multiple replay angles showed that the ball never stuck Profar on the arm, wrist, elbow, or even his sleeve. You could have a 4K, HD, or even old-school black-and-white television and still see that the ball did not hit Profar.

But despite obvious evidence to the contrary, the Padres' hitter was awarded first base anyway. The disbelief on the faces of the players in the perplexed Houston dugout told the whole story. Verlander can be seen placing his index fingers to the sides of his head with his eyes wide open and his mouth agape as if to say, "You've got to be freakin' kidding me." Mauricio Dubón may have actually said as much, and probably worse after the call on the field was upheld.

In the end, the call didn't matter, and thanks to a slick defensive play by Grae Kessinger, the Astros survived what may have been the wildest game they've played this season. Take heart, Astros fans, because there's just one game with this umpiring crew. One can only hope that Brian O'Nora's bunch doesn't show up in the postseason because Verlander's reaction, and that of the entire Houston fanbase, will surely be one of outrage and disgust.

More Houston Astros News and Rumors