'I love both those guys': Astros face Verlander, discuss Gurriel 

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – Some have retired, a few are playing for other teams and three remain on the Astros roster. In the six years since the 2017 Astros won the franchise’s first World Series championship, players have departed and new faces have arrived, with the club remarkably managing to continually replenish its talent on the way to another World Series title last year.

Veteran right-hander Justin Verlander, who started for the Mets on Friday against the Astros, is one of the few players who were a part of both of those championship clubs after being traded from Detroit late in the 2017 season. So was first baseman Yuli Gurriel, who signed with the Astros in 2016. He inked a Minor League deal with the Marlins on Friday.

“The tough part about everything is you grow friendships with so many people,” Astros third baseman Alex Bregman said. “I love both those guys and definitely loved being on their team and being their teammates. They were great, great teammates.”

Bregman, second baseman Jose Altuve and pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. are the only remaining members from the 2017 team that won Houston’s first championship. Since then, star players like George Springer, Gerrit Cole and Carlos Correa have left for more money, but none of them have won a championship since.

“Who’s left? It’s Jose, Lance and Breggy, right?” Verlander said. “I know those guys love it there, and who knows what’s going to happen in the future? It’s [over] in a blink of an eye.”

On Friday, the Astros faced Verlander for the first time since he signed with the Mets, and he gave up one run and three hits while striking out five batters in Houston’s 7-2 loss. Astros manager Dusty Baker said it was vintage Verlander, who struck out Bregman looking to start the second inning.

“It was a lot of fun,” Verlander said. “Bregman’s given me a lot of crap over the years. I got him out a few times when he was a rookie and ever since then we haven’t faced each other. It was fun to face him again. He’s such a great hitter. Just the back and forth between him, it was a lot of fun today.”

As the 2023 schedule progresses, the Astros will be reunited with former teammates on other teams, getting a chance to exchange hugs and handshakes and hand out World Series championship rings. In addition to Verlander and Gurriel, members of last year’s team to move on include Aledmys Díaz (A’s), Trey Mancini (Cubs), Christian Vázquez (Twins) and Jason Castro (retired).

“You don’t really keep the band together that long,” Verlander said. “I guess I’ve been around long enough to know that’s just natural, that’s the way things go. Guys kind of move on.”

After playing 12 years in Detroit, Verlander earned two Cy Young Awards with the Astros, won two World Series titles, reached 3,000 career strikeouts and threw his third career no-hitter. He went 18-4 with a 1.75 ERA last year and was the unanimous winner of the AL Cy Young, the third of his career. He picked up his first career World Series win in Game 5 against the Phillies and was named the AL Comeback Player of the Year after missing 2021 -- and all but one start in 2020 -- because of an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery.

“It happens quick,” Verlander said of his time in Houston. “You feel like personally it was like yesterday and all of a sudden, [almost] everybody’s gone. What the hell happened? Of course, I missed a couple of years, so that accelerated it.”

The popular Gurriel -- known as La Piña to Astros fans because of his hair -- was a mainstay on Houston’s infield for seven seasons. He played in 85 career playoff games, second-most in Astros history behind Altuve (92) and Bregman (86). He caught the final out of the ’17 World Series and won the AL batting title and a Gold Glove in ’21.

“You’re saying welcome to as many guys as you’re saying goodbye,” Baker said. “Yuli, he was one of my favorites. I’m glad he got a job. I heard he was going to Miami a long time ago and we had been entertaining him coming back here. He’s not through. This is a good stop if he makes that team because he lives [in Miami].”

And lives forever in the hearts of Astros fans.