AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: RANGERS VS ASTROS

October 20, 2023

Justin Verlander

Globe Life Field

Houston Astros

Postgame 5 Press Conference

Astros - 5, Rangers - 4

Q. Dusty said he thinks you were dealing, you only made three mistakes, is that how you saw it as well?

JUSTIN VERLANDER: You know, I thought it was a pretty significant step forward for me. I thought I pitched pretty well. But you've got to make better pitches in big situations. Obviously you try not to be too hard on yourself. But when you're feeling pretty good, I think, obviously an outstanding lineup and they still really battled me. But a couple of pitches there that I would like to have back, obviously.

Q. After the benches cleared do you feel that was a moment that woke up the Astros?

JUSTIN VERLANDER: You know, I don't think it was a thing of waking us up. I mean I think we got pretty upset about it. I think given the situation I think it's pretty clear that there's no intent there. I understand Major League Baseball and is trying to take away the hit by pitch, and pitchers and teams policing the game the way it used to be done. I understand that. It's dangerous. But I even understand Adolis's reaction, you know. No, I don't think anybody is mad about him pimping a homer, it was the biggest homer in his career, quite honestly. I don't think anybody on that team did, quite honestly. Obviously he thought something might happen, though something might happen, though, because it was a pretty quick reaction.

But all that aside I think I was just disappointed that the umpires threw out Abreu. The umpires are there to calm the situation, keep the game moving, let's not let things get escalated. But more importantly they're there just to determine if something was intentional or not. In that spot I don't know how those six guys got together and determined that they were sure it was intentional, because I think from a baseball perspective, it surely was not.

Q. When Jose comes up in big spots like that what's the feeling in the dugout and the clubhouse?

JUSTIN VERLANDER: Excitement. You want your best players up in big spots. And Díaz came up and had a great at-bat. Singleton came up and did an incredible job, what a great at-bat he put together for the walk.

Without those two at-bats, Altuve is not up in that situation. But then you feel the momentum building. Díaz gets the hit, and it's like, all right, now we've got the tying run on. Singleton works a big walk, it's like, oh, man, here we go, we've turned the lineup over, we've got nobody out, and we got our guy up.

And you don't use the word "expect," but you anticipate something great happening. And more often than not, he just seems to deliver. Just an incredible feel for the moment. Incredible baseball player. This doesn't surprise anybody in our locker room, that's for sure.