Houston Astros pitching depth chart: What could their starting rotation look like following Justin Verlander return?

Last year, Justin Verlander became one of the oldest pitchers to ever win a Cy Young Award. In addition to leading the league in both winning percentage and ERA, the then-39 year old was also a huge part of the second World Series win in six seasons for the Houston Astros.

Following the championship festivities, the three-time Cy Young arm inked a deal with the Mets. Under the terms of his two-year, $86 million deal, the right hander would match his teammate Max Scherzer as the highest paid player in MLB history.

Despite a considerable amount of hype surrounding his arrival in Queens, the 2023 season has not gone the way that any Mets fans had hoped. With a record of 50-55, the team now stands 17.5 games out of the top spot in their division. Meanwhile, Justin Verlander's 3.15 ERA, while not terrible, is his worst in five seasons.

"TRADE: The Astros are acquiring Justin Verlander from the Mets, per @BNightengale" - Fox Sports: MLB

On August 1, the New York Mets announced that they would be trading Verlander back to the Houston Astros. The news came as a shock to many, and a humiliation to the Mets. While things may have never been worse in Queens, the acquisition has Astros fans excited.

Despite having three big starters on the long-term IL, the Astros have put forth a brilliant performance when it comes to starting pitching. With a starter ERA of just 3.82, they trail only the Tampa Bay Rays when it comes to the lowest average runs surrendered by a starter.

A big part of that has been Justin Verlander's former teammate Framber Valdez. Valdez, 29, led the entire MLB in innings pitched and compete games last season. As such, he was able to finish four places behind Justin Verlander in AL Cy Young voting. This year, the Dominican flamethrower is 8-7 with a 3.29 ERA.

"Cristian Javier, Nasty 77mph Curveball. 8k thru 5" - Pitching Ninja

Upon his return to the Houston Astros, Justin Verlander will also be greeted by former teammate Cristian Javier. The 23-year old made the transition from the bullpen to the rotation last season, posting a 2.54 ERA over 148 innings, striking out 194. This year, however, has been slower for Javier, as his ERA has jumped to 4.33 in 108 innings.

Justin Verlander recreates the championship Astros team

With a game up on the Toronto Blue Jays, the Astros now occupy the second of three AL Wild Card spots. However, being just one game behind the Texas Rangers, it's show time. The Astros have won the division in every full season dating back to 2017, and show no intent on letting up now.