"Probably not" -  Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker not starting Triple Crown-winning pitcher on Opening Day

Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander is poised to return this year after missing all of 2021 due to Tommy John Surgery. Verlander has been one of the best starting pitchers of the last 15 years. The veteran starter is looking to get back to his 2019 version, where he went 21-6 with a 2.58 ERA and 300 strikeouts.

The 39-year-old Houston Astros ace is approaching the end of his brilliant career. Can he maintain the consistent pitching dominance that he has had over the course of his career? This will remain a question as the season progresses.

While the Houston Astros are hoping Verlander will be good to go for the first game of the season, manager Dusty Baker was pessimistic about those aspirations.

"When he was asked if Justin Verlander was his Opening Day starter, manager Dusty Baker said 'probably not.' Right now, Framber Valdez lines up for Opening Day, but nothing is set." - @ Brian McTaggart

Houston Astros player bio: Justin Verlander

Justin Verlander was born on February 20,1983, in Mankin Sabot, Virginia. He attended college at Old Dominion University before being drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the first round of the 2004 MLB Draft.

Detroit Tigers v Texas Rangers

Verlander made his Major League debut on July 4, 2005, at the age of 22. During the 2006 season, his official rookie season, he emerged as one of the game's best young pitchers. Verlander would go 17-9 with a 3.63 ERA, good enough to win the American League Rookie of the Year award.

Over the course of the next 13 years with the Detroit Tigers, Verlander would win 183 games with a 3.33 ERA. This includes, six All-Star appearances, a Cy Young, and an MVP.

In 2017, after 13 seasons with the Detroit Tigers, Verlander was traded to the Houston Astros. For the rest of the 2017 season, Verlander would pitch brilliantly for the Astros, going 5-0 with a 1.06 ERA. This success carried him into the postseason as he led the team, along with ace Dallas Keuchel, to a World Series title.

He followed up a successful 2017 campaign with two more stellar seasons in 2018 and 2019. In 2018, Verlander would finish second in the Cy Young Award race, going 16-9 with a 2.52 ERA and 290 strikeouts. As previously mentioned, Verlander won the Cy Young Award in 2019 and has since battled injuries.

Astros fans will get to see their star pitcher at some point this season. Look for Verlander to have a bounceback season as the Hall-of-Famer is a proven winner and seems poised to be back as one of the game's top pitchers.