When the Astros acquired Zack Greinke at the trade deadline in 2019, the excitement was palpable among the Houston faithful. His addition gave the team a third ace alongside Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole, and it got them just a few outs shy of another World Series championship.
Greinke, however, is an entirely different kind of pitcher than Verlander and Cole. In fact, he’s an entirely different kind of pitcher than he was earlier in his career. While Verlander has defied nature and maintained his elite velocity through his mid-30s, Greinke has adapted to the loss of zip on his fastball and managed to remain at the top of his game.