"Whew. At least it’s not his arm" "Best case scenario" - Houston Astros fans relieved that Justin Verlander's early exit from game not caused by arm injury

Houston Astros fans were nervous after Justin Verlander exited the game after three dominant innings against the Baltimore Orioles. Verlander had thrown only 60 pitches, and had shown no signs of slowing down when he was suddenly pulled. Many fans immediately jumped to the worst-case scenario, an arm injury that would force him to miss the upcoming postseason.

Thankfully, that outcome was avoided, as the team stated that Verlander was pulled due to right calf discomfort. The severity of that discomfort is still yet to be determined, but Astros fans breathed a sigh of relief.

Brian McTaggart was the first to report on the statement from the team, via Twitter.

News of injuries is rarely received positively. Given how much worse this could have been for the Houston Astros and their playoff chances, relief swept through their fandom.

Losing one of the best pitchers in the MLB before the beginning of the playoffs would be a terrible fate.

Hopefully, this injury will not hamper the Astros, who are already dealing with an injury to slugger Yordan Alvarez.

Allowing Justin Verlander some time off to rest ahead of October would not be the worst option. While it may affect his chances of winning the Cy Young, it would prime the Houston Astros for playoff success. Leg injuries are notoriously difficult to deal with and have the potential to linger. Expect the team to exercise caution.

Verlander is still at the top of his game, even after two Tommy John surgeries. While he may have been able to come back from a third, it is better that we do not have to find out.

When Verlander was pulled suddenly, many minds immediately turned to the worst-case option. The relief given by this report was instaneous.

Thankfully, the Houston Astros pulled Verlander out of an abundance of caution for the future of the season.

Justin Verlander will be integral to the Astros' success in the playoffs, as long as this calf discomfort does not slow him down.

Houston Astros need Justin Verlander at his best in the American League playoffs

Justin Verlander has plenty of playoff experience

With offensive powerhouses like the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays, pitching will be key for the Houston Astros. If they are able to slow down this high-paced offense and dictate with their pitching, they will be nearly unbeatable.

Justin Verlander is a huge part of that, as one of the best pitchers in baseball. Without him, the Astros' chances of winning a World Series would drastically go down.