How the Justin Verlander trade can positively impact the Cleveland Indians

The Houston Astros acquired the longtime Detroit Tiger ace Justin Verlander on Thursday, but could it benefit the Cleveland Indians the most?

The Houston Astros in some ways have been the most surprising team of 2017. Everyone knew they would contend, but nobody expected them to have the best record in the American League at the beginning of September.

The majority of people, myself included, just viewed Houston as a team that didn’t have enough pitching; as of Thursday, that changed. The Astros acquired 34-year-old Tiger ace Justin Verlander, which more than bolsters their pitching rotation. How does this all relate to the Cleveland Indians?

Some may assume that this article is simply going to say the Indians will benefit due to Verlander no longer being a division rival. However, this is going in an entirely different direction.

Anyone who has followed either Cleveland or Detroit knows that Verlander is not the same against Cleveland. This season alone, Verlander is 1-3 with an ERA of 8.55 against the Cleveland Indians. In fact, Verlander has not had a winning season versus Cleveland since 2013. So how does this benefit the Indians?

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The Indians currently sit three games behind Houston for the best record in the American League. The two teams will not meet again in the regular season, but it would appear as if the two clubs very well could match up in the ALCS.

Verlander is a career 7-5/3.39 ERA postseason pitcher, but he has not had to face the Indians in October. While the postseason is a whole different game and Verlander’s playoff history is good, the momentum would be with Cleveland in that matchup.

Baseball is a very mental sport, and we all know how well both sides know just how much the Indians have roughed up Verlander. The pitcher has even gone as far to say he believes Cleveland could be stealing signs, so you know it is in his mind.

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In a seven-game series, the Tribe would be likely to face Verlander twice. To assume the Indians would rough him up twice, or even once may be a little extreme, but to say it gives them an unprecedented advantage for the entire series, is not.