CLEVELAND — Inside the Astros clubhouse, Justin Verlander is the man to whom most teammates can turn if they have a problem or require advice.

They certainly could reciprocate if Verlander asks, but so few major leaguers can speak from the experience Verlander is living. He is a 36-year-old man who wants to pitch until he is 45, defy the passage of time and align with the sport's continuous evolution. There are but a select few who can relate.

So, three weeks ago, Verlander sought out Nolan Ryan.

Ryan is Verlander's boyhood idol. He was an innings-eating strikeout machine who threw a baseball for 27 major league seasons and now serves as the Astros' executive adviser.

The two men discussed so much, like how Ryan handled a four-man rotation as opposed to a five-man rotation.

"What he did to age gracefully," Verlander said with a smile. "That's probably the most subtle way I could possibly put it."

"And what he thought about his changeup."

Verlander's relationship with his changeup is fleeting. Almost all of his focus in spring training centered around refining it. In-game results almost always dictate whether he will throw it.

If its shape is wrong, it feels funny out of his hand or if an opponent hammers it, Verlander will abandon the offering and stick to his three tried and true pitches. He threw just 544 changeups in 214 innings last season — 1.43 percent of his total pitch usage.

He's increased that to nearly five percent this season. Verlander's gotten seven strikeouts on the changeup but also allowed a home run against it. Usage has fluctuated throughout the season. Some games see one or two. He threw 19 in a two-start stretch from April 19-24 then, in the next four outings, threw 10 total.

In his three starts since conversing with Ryan, Verlander has re-harnessed the often fleeting pitch. During his two starts against the Rangers and A's this month, Verlander combined to toss 11 changeups. He threw 10 total in the five starts preceding them.

"I came away (from the conversation with Ryan) with some thoughts I hadn't really thought of, took that to the bullpen and the changeup seemed to be better out there," Verlander said. "Took it into the game and it's been better."

"It was really cool to sit there and have a conversation like that with my idol. It was pretty special. He had some really good insights on some stuff I hadn't really thought of and I took it out there. Pretty much right away, I started seeing some better results."

As it was for Ryan, carrying a changeup will be vital for Verlander as he continues his career. The Astros ace has a fastball, curveball and slider that are elite. Adding a consistent fourth pitch — even if he can just show it a few times per game — is a new element to which teams that see him routinely must adjust.

Take the Cleveland Indians. Verlander's thrown 28 career starts against them. Francisco Lindor, José Ramirez, Carlos Santana and Jason Kipnis all entered Tuesday's game with at least 28 at-bats against him. Santana and Kipnis each had over 50.

Verlander incorporated his changeup as liberally as any start this season. He started Ramirez with two during an at-bat in the second.

"Last two outings, his changuep has been there for him and it's been huge," said catcher Robinson Chirinos. "They've faced him a lot in the past and they know he's going to go fastball, slider and curveball. The changeup played big tonight."

Verlander struck out 13 across seven scoreless innings. He did not walk a batter. An Indian did not reach third base while he worked.

Ryan-esque?

"No," Verlander said.

"Nolan would have probably had 20 (strikeouts) today. Or a no-hitter or something."