When Max Scherzer landed on the injured list with a teres major strain, it seemed like his year was done. He was finished for the regular season, and his chances of pitching in the playoffs were slim. Yet now, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports that the 39-year-old is increasing his throwing program in an effort to strengthen his arm and get back on a mound. That doesn’t sound like a pitcher planning to take all offseason to get back in game shape.
Indeed, manager Bruce Bochy says he wouldn’t rule out Scherzer for the postseason. In an appearance on the K&C Masterpiece show, the veteran skipper said his ace seems “optimistic” and that the team has gotten good reports on his health. That’s far from a guarantee that Texas will have the three-time Cy Young winner back in time for the playoffs, but it’s undoubtedly a positive development. The Rangers will still need to prepare for the worst, but at least they can hope for the best.
There’s no denying this team could use Scherzer back in the rotation as soon as possible. Nathan Eovaldi has struggled in five starts since his return from the injured list, and now Jon Gray is dealing with tightness in his wrist. Dane Dunning has remained healthy this season, but he has slowed way down after a hot start. That leaves trade deadline acquisition Jordan Montgomery as the only reliable arm on the starting staff with October right around the corner.
While Scherzer hasn’t been his typical ace-like self this season, he remains a durable and capable starting pitcher. In 27 starts this year, he is averaging 5 2/3 innings per game with a 3.77 ERA. He also has a great deal of playoff experience, having made 27 appearances across nine separate postseasons. He was especially dominant during the Nationals’ 2019 World Series run, posting a 2.40 ERA in 30 innings of work.
The Rangers are counting on Scherzer to play a key role in their 2024 rotation, so they certainly wouldn’t want to risk his health by rushing him back before he’s ready. However, if he can safely return to the mound, the future Hall of Famer would make a huge difference in the playoffs. It still seems like a scant possibility, but the deeper Texas plays into October, the more likely the possibility becomes.
What could go wrong?
Wants his Schilling moment…
kripes – You think Max wants to borrow $75M from the state of Texas, blow it all on a failed video game startup company, declare bankruptcy, get hired by ESPN, get fired by ESPN, and lose his entire career earnings?
Okay.
Woah. Not that type of Schilling.
The 2004 ALCS Game 6 Schilling.
Lmao
He got it in 2019. Since then he had the quitting on the 2021 Dodgers and getting light up like a Christmas tree for the 2022 Mets.
Quitting on the 2021 Dodgers? Sorry but Mad Max never quits. I don’t know what you were watching to get that impression.
This dude is the T-1000? Max Scherzer is the T-1000… crazy, I’ll close, I’ll start, my arms dead and has fallen off Give me the ball I’m throwing left handed now
He quit!
Are you a Dodgers fan whining about Scherzer “quitting” on them in 2021? That’s absurd. He shouldn’t have even been there in the first place but the never ending greed of that dirtbag franchise pried him away from Washington to sweep the Trevor Bauer mess under the rug.
Rangers….lez go
Hope Max makes it back at least as a reliever.
I guess MLBTR is pretty good with reading links in the comments and/or comments to update stuff. I remember also having posted something about the return for Mark Mathias and then seeing an article about it like 10-15 mins later (though I also submitted a tip). This news had been out there for over a week, though. I wonder what sources MLBTR has for team reporting. MLB.com also reported on it.
If nothing else you have to love his professionalism and his competitiveness. It would be really easy to just pack it in for the year, but instead it sounds like he’s doing everything possible to come back. Even if it risks 2024 to some extent, there’s no guarantee the Rangers would be in a position of serious contention like they are now. It would make for a great story if he comes back and summons 2015 Scherzer for 3 weeks.
No one is worried about Max coming back. I’ll bet some teams are *hoping* that he does because he is not that guy anymore.
Mad Max is such a toolbox. This isn’t a Schilling moment. This is a player who for the second year in a row doesn’t have enough gas in the tank to finish out the year. Now here he comes to save the season for Texas. He will do more damage to himself and the team but trying to come back. The Rangers can’t depend on him. Send him home and hope he’s healthy next year for his April to August seasons.
Despite the young talent on the offense, I honestly view the Rangers as a team that will take a step back next year. Here are all of their starting pitching.
Degrom – out for all of ’24, will be 37 when he takes the mound again
Scherzer – will be 40 in ’24
Jordan Montgomery – free agent
Nathan Eovaldi – will be 34
Martin Perez – free agent
Jon Gray – will be 32
Dane Dunning – healthy, young, and good.
Andrew Heaney – will be 33
GIven that all the guys listed above have had injury problems throughout their career (besides Dunning), their already high payroll, terrible bullpen, and thin farm system, I don’t think the Rangers are well set up for the future. I also think Semien will take a step back next year.
The Rangers have been notoriously bad in developing pitching in the organization. Their top pick several years ago Leiter has to shutdown and relearn how to pitch again. Another top pitching prospect Kumar went down with arm injuries setting back his fledgling career. That organization needs baseball people through out the system that can quickly identify problems and correct them. What they have now is clearly not working out well.
Show me where the rangers don’t have a top 10 farm. Their signings were meant to coincide with a tremendous farm wave. They did it a year early last year with Corey and Marcus (when there were a ton of FAs) and gray, but they were signing up for the 1-4 years after that. Seen Jung, duran,taveras, now Evan carter, langford 3 months from college is ridiculous. The list goes very deep. Don’t be shocked if leiter, Rocker, white replace some of those names soon. Develop everyday talent. Buy pitching. I don’t hate the philosophy.