Verlander’s Five Earned Runs Doomed Astros in Cincinnati, 5-3

Is Justin Verlander’s return a blessing for the Astros?

In three games so far, all you can say is that he kept some other overworked pitcher off the mound. Today he allowed five runs in 4.2 innings. True, a tight early strike zone and a two-run, two-out bloop single cost Justin dearly, but after three poor starts, the excuses are running thin. Considering the excellence elsewhere on the staff, if Verlander doesn’t return to form soon, should he be considered for a spot in the playoff rotation rather than youngsters like Spencer Arrighetti or Hunter Brown? Methinks no.

Three leadoff walks in the first turned into two Reds runs. Verlander worked around trouble in innings two, three, and four,…