Maybe Verlander felt like he had something to prove, a little chip on his shoulder. The Astros‘ hurler started out a little shaky but then settled in nicely, shutting down 15 batters in a row at one point when discounting the runner that reached on an Aledmys Diaz error in the sixth. Diaz was in for Carlos Correa who sat out with stiffness in his neck.
In his 11th opening day start, Verlander completed seven innings allowing only one run on a solo home run by Austin Meadows in the 1st inning.