"Verlander has preferred to pitch every fifth day, but has softened somewhat" - Insider believes Astros could use a different type of rotation in 2024

The Houston Astros will have their core rotation of Justin Verlander, Framber Valdez, Hunter Brown, J.P. France, and Cristian Javier returning. Pitching has been an area where the organization has dominated over the last few seasons.

However, the team could run into depth issues during the season. Brown, France, and Javier all had a huge workload last season, which ended up costing the team at the end of the season.

Houston could employ a different type of rotation this upcoming season to help limit the innings their rotation will have to eat. Chandler Rome of The Athletic sees Houston moving to a six-man rotation.

"In the past, Verlander has preferred to pitch every fifth day, but has softened somewhat on that stance since his Tommy John surgery" stated Rome.

Verlander has preferred to pitch on a five-day swing, but that could change this upcoming season. Limiting the number of innings Verlander and the others throw early in the season could really be helpful.

However, that would likely take somebody out of the bullpen. The Astros are already thin in the bullpen, so this will be a tricky situation for the organization to try and navigate.

The Astros will look a lot different with the departure of some key players this offseason

Championship Series - Houston Astros v Texas Rangers - Game Five

The Houston Astros have lost some fan favorites this offseason, and the team will look a bit different next season. And it is not just players; Houston will be heading into the new season with a new manager.

Dusty Baker retired following the 2023 season, putting to rest a magnificent career as both a player and a manager. He will forever be remembered as one of the greatest of all time.

Another key departure this offseason was veteran catcher Martin Maldonado. Maldonado signed a one-year deal with the Chicago White Sox a few weeks back, ending his five-year tenure in Houston.

The bullpen has also taken a big hit this winter. Hector Neris, Ryne Stanek, and Phil Maton are all free agents. The team still has the opportunity to sign them, but other teams also have that opportunity.

The front office has their hands full trying to plug all the holes they have and figure out the direction they want the rotation to go. With Opening Day quickly approaching, they are starting to run out of time.