The Astros arrived in the City of Brotherly Love and received a fitting welcome as the team standing in the way of the Phillies’ pursuit of a World Series title. As the team arrived at Citizens Bank Park on Monday, Houston starter Justin Verlander was captured on camera reciprocating the feeling toward the locals.
As the Astros’ team bus pulled up, Phillies fans were filming and offering verbal taunts when Verlander flipped the bird through the bus window. As the team departed the bus, Verlander waved toward the camera and gave the bird again with a laugh—much to the delight of the fans on the receiving end of the gesture.
After receiving some online criticism for his act, Verlander posted a tweet saying that the exchange was all in good fun, and that he was simply saying hello to the Philadelphia fans in their “native tongue.”
The presumed favorite to win the American League Cy Young Award, Verlander was knocked around in Game 1, allowing five runs in five innings. He’s currently slated to pitch Game 5 in Philadelphia, and is sure to be the target of plenty of love from Phillies fans who make it out to the ballpark Thursday night.
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