Astros tab pitchers Verlander, Greinke for World Series Games 2-3
Houston manager Hinch plans bullpen game for Game 4 against Nationals on Saturday
Justin Verlander will follow Gerrit Cole and start Game 2 of the World Series for Houston against Washington on Wednesday.
Zack Greinke will start for the Astros on Friday when the Series resumes at Nationals Park.
"Greinke gets to hit. That's going to be fun for him," Astros manager AJ Hinch said Monday.
Houston plans a bullpen game for Game 4 on Saturday.
WATCH | Altuve belts series-winning, walk-off homer against Yankees:
Beating Nats' starters key to success, says Hinch
After all those relievers Houston hitters faced this post-season with the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees relying so early and heavily on their bullpens, the Astros should get multiple at-bats against Washington starters in the World Series.
That more traditional approach by the Nationals means a lot of Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg.
"It's a grind," said leadoff hitter George Springer, though he believes the Astros do an extremely good job of adjusting when facing a pitcher more than once in a game.
While the Astros didn't see many Rays or Yankees pitchers twice in the same game, they saw them multiple times during the series.
"If you want to do well against the Nats, you've got to beat their starters, and then make them make decisions as the game goes on," Hinch said. "If you sit back and kind of wait for the bullpen or wait for them to make a decision, you'll look at Strasburg and Scherzer throwing 120, 130 pitches and you'll be too deep in the game to make up a difference."
Pitcher Pressly 'feeling better'
In other Astros news, reliever Ryan Pressly says he expects to be able to pitch in the World Series.
Pressly threw only one pitch in the clinching Game 6 of the American League Championship Series on Saturday night, getting Didi Gregorius of the New York Yankees on a soft grounder. But the reliever had to leave the game after aggravating his surgically repaired right knee -- he had the procedure in August and missed time.
Manager AJ Hinch said the Astros would announce their roster prior to Game 1 on Tuesday night.
"Quite honestly, the health of Ryan Pressly is going to be key in those decisions. He's going to do some things on the field today. Hopefully get off the mound. He's feeling better. We anticipate him being available and ready to go," Hinch said.
"But until we clear him as active we're going to have to hold off on our roster," he said. "There could be a change or two either based on health or based on matchup."
Pressly was an all-star this season, going 2-3 with a 2.32 earned-run average in 55 games. He struggled in the playoffs against Tampa Bay and New York, allowing four runs and six hits in 2 2/3 innings over six games.