Houston Astros starter Justin Verlander reflects on his career dominating the A’s

OAKLAND – After Friday night’s game at the Coliseum, Houston Astros starter Justin Verlander was in a state of reflection. Not only did he allow just two runs, one earned, once again dominating the Oakland A’s, but he also passed the legendary Greg Maddux for tenth place on the all-time strikeouts list when he struck out Abraham Toro in the second inning.

It was also Toro who hit a two-run homer against the Toronto Blue Jays in 2019 that helped Verlander secure his no-hitter with Houston. When told that Toro was the one who moved him up the strikeout leaderboard, the Astros starter responded, “Was it him? Was it him? S— .I really enjoyed playing with Abraham. I hope he doesn’t mind.”

We then asked the future Hall of Famer about this potentially being his last start at the Coliseum. He mentioned here the cutting of Frank Thomas, the Big Hurt being the reason he wears number 35. Then he talked a little about some events that A’s fans have very different memories of, but at the same time, he sincerely expressed his love for Oakland fans during those ALDS battles with the Tigers in 2012 and 2013.

“I’m going to miss this place, absolutely. The first thing that comes to mind is the crowd in (2012) when I was with the Tigers and played the fifth game here, and I’m came back in the ninth inning we were winning 6-0 or 6-1, I forget the exact score, but I threw ball one or maybe ball one, ball two to the first batter I faced. in that round. The crowd, you would have thought I had just lost the match. It was electric. It was one of the most electric atmospheres I’ve been a part of, many times here in this stadium.

“I was standing next to Prince Fielder at one point, and it was a benign part of the game, there wasn’t much going on. I just remember screaming at the top of my lungs at Prince and we were standing as far away as you and I are (about a foot) and we couldn’t hear each other in the match, it was just how loud the crowd was here.

“I’ve had some great personal moments here, but the energy that this place brought during those years when the Tigers and the A’s were facing each other in the playoffs, that’s something I’ll always remember.