Houston Astros ace Justin Verlander flipped off Phillies fans upon arrival to Philadelphia, and he has spoken out on the matter.
Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander gave Philadelphia Phillies fans the most memorable welcome possible (the middle finger) upon arriving in Philadelphia on Monday.
The footage seemed to show Verlander interacting in good fun with a fan, and he confirmed on Twitter that's exactly what he was doing.
He also went out of his way to joke with the fan, give her an autograph and take a photo. The two demonstrated no signs of hard feelings, but rather, genuine enjoyment all around.
The World Series, of course, bring fun competitive vibes (and maybe some not-so-fun). With the series being tied 1-1 entering Game 3 and Verlander being a major reason for the Astros' Game 1 loss, it'd be understandable, but not justified, if he was genuinely frustrated and took it out on Phillies fans.
Based on his humorous reaction, he seems to have already put the loss behind him and the Astros seem ready to fight in Philadelphia for the World Series title. Theoretically, the World Series could come to an end in Phillies territory, which would be amusing considering Verlander's gesture.
Astros ace Justin Verlander makes good after middle finger to Phillies fans
Each team needs just three more wins to take home the championship, and though the likelihood of that happening in Philadelphia seems slim, it could happen. The Phillies have yet to lose a game at home this postseason, so the odds are certainly in their favor there.
However, the Astros are a tough team to take down, so it doesn't seem likely for the Phils to pull three consecutive wins. The Phillies have been excelling with their stellar offense, but the Astros have a great rotation that could be lethal to Philadelphia's offense. In order for Houston to win the next three consecutive games, they'd have to have nearly perfect pitchers every night, which isn't very realistic.
If the game does, however, happen to end in Philadelphia, Verlander's welcome will forever be sweet or sour, depending on which team claims the title.