The Oakland A’s should be locked in a tight battle for the AL West division this season, with the quick 60 games unlikely to be long enough for anyone to set themselves too far apart in the standings. On Sunday, two of their top division foes took major hits to their starting rotations.
For the Houston Astros, defending Cy Young winner Justin Verlander has been shut down for a couple weeks with a forearm strain, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today. It felt “tender” while he was pitching in Friday’s Opening Day game, and he had an MRI on Saturday, adds Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle.