The 2020 season of ace right-hander is in jeopardy after just one start. Verlander was shut down by the Astros on Sunday due to a forearm strain, and it's unclear if he'll pitch again during the shortened 60-game campaign. , Verlander is expected to mi s the rest of the season. However, the reigning AL Cy Young winner shot down that report on Twitter and said he Ozzie Smith Jersey 's "hopeful to return soon."Verlander pitched Friday on Opening Day for the Astros against the . His outing saw him complete six innings, strike out seven, and hold Seattle's lineup to three hits and two runs. There Adolis Garcia Jersey was no indication in Verlander's performance or velocity that he was injured during his 2020 debut: he averaged 94.9 mph with his heater, according to Statcast. For reference, last season he clocked in at 94.6 on average.Astros manager Dusty Baker addre sed Verlander's status after Houston's lo s against the Seattle Mariners. He told reporters, , that Verlander has a forearm strain and will be shut down for a "couple of weeks" before being reevaluated.Verlander spoke out on social media shortly after Baker made his comments. The report that Im currently mi sing the rest of the season is not accurate. There is lex Reyes Jersey a forearm strain... Im hopeful that with some rest it will heal and Ill be able to return soon. Thank you for all the well wishes. Justin Verlander (@JustinVerlander) It's worth noting that forearm strains are often precursors to Tommy John surgery. The Astros might be holding out hope that Verlander can prove to be the exception. Either way, he seems likely to mi s a relatively large chunk of time -- something that the 60-game season doesn't offer much of to anyone. Verlander was originally expected to mi s the start of the season in March after he suffered a strained lat. At the time, Verlander or fellow veteran would "risk setting off a chain reaction that will see the Astros overexpose the rest of their starters, their depth, and their bullpen."The rest of the Astros rotation at present includes Greinke, Jr., , and . Houston has multiple starting candidates on the injured list, such as , , , and . That Randy Arozarena Jersey could leave them picking between , , and a few other younger options as fill-ins.Verlander, 37, has been one of the most reliable starters in the game Ken Boyer Jersey . He had linked together four consecutive seasons in which he started at least 33 times. He's under contract for an additional season, as he's set to make another $33 million in 2021. Over part of 16 big-league seasons, Verlander has started 454 games. He has a career 3.33 ERA (129 ERA+), 3.54 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and 71.6 Wins Above Replacement.