This week, all MLB teams have opened or will officially start their training camps.

The Houston Astros are no exception.

By this time, the internet is flooded with reports of X player being in the best shape of his life, and Y pitcher throwing a couple of mph harder.

It’s normal spring talk, and it’s mostly fine: it’s the time to be hopeful because everyone is tied.

However, there is also the negative side: injuries that happened in the offseason come to light.

In the specific case of the Houston Astros, they received some not-so-good news regarding their ace Justin Verlander.

“Astros RHP Justin Verlander said he’s a couple of weeks behind and his timetable is TBA. ‘When I first started playing catch I usually shut it down for a while and this time when I shut it down and picked a ball back up, my shoulder didn’t feel so great so I kind of had to take a step back,’ he said,” Astros insider Brian McTaggart tweeted.

Astros RHP Justin Verlander said he’s a couple of weeks behind and his timetable is TBA.

“When I first started playing catch I usually shut it down for a while and this time when I shut it down and picked a ball back up, my shoulder didn’t feel so great so I kind of had to take…

— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) February 14, 2024

It’s still too early to be overly concerned, but this news has to be taken with caution by Houston.

Shoulder tightness or soreness can often lead to torn capsules, rotator cuff damage, or muscle around the area being strained.

Verlander, in addition to every injury concern that pitchers come with, will turn 41 next week.

His body, for obvious reasons, doesn’t recover as quickly as it used to do.

Coming off a season with a 3.22 ERA in 162.1 innings between the New York Mets and the Astros, he is one of the most important players on Houston’s roster.

For now, he appears to be a bit behind.