Verlander didn't accompany the Astros to Anaheim for their ongoing series with the Angels this week while he tends to what manager Dusty Baker called a "family issue," Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Verlander had been a candidate to start Thursday's series finale with the Angels on six days' rest, which would have put him on a normal schedule ahead of next week's MLB All-Star Game. Cristian Javier and Framber Valdez will instead take the hill for the final two games of the series with Anaheim, but Verlander remains on the 26-man active roster and Baker is hopeful that the veteran right-hander will be ready to take the hill at some point during the Astros' weekend series with the Athletics. Since Verlander now looks on track to return to the mound this weekend, Baker said revealed that the nine-time All-Star will "probably not" appear in the Midsummer Classic, according to Rome.