ASTROS GREATNESS: Justin Verlander’s Retirement SENDS Shockwaves, Hunter Brown Reflects

Houston Astros face a seismic shift as Justin Verlander announces 2026 will mark the end of his legendary MLB career. Can Verlander’s influence catapult a new generation of Astros pitchers—and will he enter the Hall of Fame as an Astro or Detroit Tiger? Brett Chancey breaks down Verlander's legacy, from his era-defining trade in 2017 and historic pitching milestones in Houston to the unforgettable ALCS MVP run and clubhouse leadership that forever changed the team's pitching culture. Key highlights include Hunter Brown’s evolution under Verlander’s mentorship, the Astros’ ongoing rotation struggles with Spencer Arrighetti’s command woes, and the high-stakes series looming against the Texas Rangers. Get insight into the bullpen’s mounting workload, missed offensive opportunities from José Altuve and Yordan Alvarez, and what Houston must do to stay in the AL playoff hunt. Astros fans, is this the dawn of a new ace—or the close of a dynasty? Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Cash App Download Cash App Today: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/2ut33jnc #CashAppPod Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa®️ Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card, Sutton debit flex card, and Bancorp debit flex card. Cash App Green features, Savings, Direct deposit, Round ups, Overdraft coverage and Discounts provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. 5-Hour ENERGY Bring on the sweetness with Cotton Candy 5-hour ENERGY®️ shots—available online now at https://5hourENERGY.com or on Amazon. HIMS To get simple, online access to personalized, affordable care for ED, hair loss, weight loss, and more, visit https://Hims.com/LOCKEDONMLB. Odoo Great organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon. Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at https://Indeed.com/podcast KALSHI For a limited time, download the Kalshi app and use code LOCKEDON to get ten dollars when you trade ten. Kalshi. Trade on anything. Gametime Today's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply. FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. From the opening whistle to the final kick, Let There Be Goals on FanDuel. Visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started now. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.