The Rangers are heading to Boston for a series with the Red Sox beginning tomorrow, but Nathan Eovaldi and Max Scherzer are both going to Texas for injury-related checkups, GM Chris Young told the Associated Press and other reporters. Eovaldi left his start Saturday after three innings due to tightness in his left side, though the meeting with team doctor Keith Meister is seen as precautionary since Eovaldi “thinks he can pitch through” the issue, Young said. “He’s so important to us that we’re not sure we want to push him. We may end up pushing him back or skipping a start. We don’t think it’s an IL at this point, but we will clearly decide that once he sees Dr. Meister.”
Scherzer was placed on the 15-day injured list on July 31 due to right shoulder fatigue, and Young said the veteran “just hasn’t turned the corner with his shoulder. Our hope is that maybe we get back and explore some other diagnostic measures and get him back on the mound. But I don’t know what the timetable is going to be.” Between this IL stint and an extended absence at the start of the season while recovering from back surgery and a nerve issue in his thumb, Scherzer has pitched only 39 1/3 innings over eight starts.
More will be known about both pitchers’ situations after the tests are complete, but there is clear cause for concern given how both Eovaldi and Scherzer have checkered injury histories. For Scherzer in particular, his situation is worrisome given how much time he has already missed, and whether or not his abnormal ramp-up this year simply kept him from being fully ready to pitch. If either Scherzer or Eovaldi are revealed to have more serious issues, it could put the rest of their seasons in jeopardy, as the Rangers might consider shutdowns if the team continues to fall back in the playoff race.
Some other notes from both the AL and NL West divisions…
- Lourdes Gurriel Jr. left the Diamondbacks’ 12-5 win over the Phillies today due to left hamstring tightness, but manager Torey Lovullo downplayed the injury in postgame comments to MLB.com and other media. Lovullo said the removal was precautionary and that Gurriel is day-to-day, plus the outfielder isn’t even being sent for any tests at this time. Gurriel is hitting .269/.302/.414 with 14 homers over 453 plate appearances as the team’s regular left fielder, translating to a 98 wRC+ in the first season of the three-year, $42MM contract he signed to rejoin the D’Backs last offseason.
- The Padres will be activating Joe Musgrove from the 60-day injured list to start tomorrow’s game against the Pirates, after bone spurs in his right elbow cost him about two and a half months on the shelf. Talking with Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, Musgrove made changes to his mechanics and delivery in order to help manage the injury. “The spur is going to be there, the structure of the elbow is not going to change unless I get an operation,” Musgrove said. “So [I’m] trying to find a way to be able to throw and still execute and still have good stuff. Hopefully it will alleviate some of the stress on the elbow is kind of the goal….I felt great in this build back.” Between this injury and a previous elbow-related stint on the IL, Musgrove has thrown only 49 1/3 innings this season, with a shaky 5.66 ERA.
- Kendall Graveman wasn’t expected to pitch in 2024 after a shoulder surgery last January, but his hopes at an in-season comeback gained some momentum Saturday when he threw a 10-pitch bullpen session. Astros manager Joe Espada told reporters (including Matt Kawahara of the San Diego Union-Tribune) that Graveman hit 86-87mph in his first time throwing off a mound since the surgery. As Kawahara notes, there might simply be not enough time left in the season for Graveman to get fully ramped up and then complete a minor league rehab assignment, but that won’t stop the veteran from trying.
At this point Max just needs to get himself healthy. If that means calling it a season to ensure that, fine. You’re no good to a team if you can only take the mound a few times a year.
Max is 40. Time waits for no one. Max has had a HOF career and it’s looking like the time is near. He always has a nagging injury and when he is pitching he’s been a diminished version of himself. I just hope he knows when it’s time. Nothing sadder then watching a great one stick around too long.
There is a lot that can be sadder than watching a great one stick around too long. Like hungry puppies. Or high school reunions.
Yea it looks like Max is about done. No sense in his playing a half a year next year just to make 10 starts and pitch poorly. He should probably pack it in.
Max should do what he wants
If he wants to pitch, he should try and pitch
And if he wants to kill someone, that’s cool too?
Remember
Yes. Of course. That’s definitely a reasonable assumption that you just made. Kudos
Butcan
“You’re no good to a team if you can only take the mound a few times a year.”
This isn’t true, of course.
A team has 162 games and 1450 or so innings to cover.
10 starts and 50 innings counts.
It’s true 10 starts and 50 innings do count. But Max didn’t sign in August where you knew you’d get 10 and 50 plus the post season if you qualify. He’s been hurt and inconsistent when he has pitched. When your waiting on a guy who can never make it quite back that can throw your staff into disarray. It could have easily back fired last year in Game 7. Texas’s bullpen picked him up. If Max wants to pitch on a Clemens plan that’s fine with me. If not he should really hang it up
Chris
Again, he should do what he wants
10 starts spaced throughout the season help as well
As long as teams know he’s not likely to make 30 starts and plan for it, it’s not a big deal.
Dodgers
That is exactly the point. If teams know and can plan for the 10 starts it works. Carrying him on the 40 man all year doesn’t work if he can only give you a 3rd of a seasons work and you don’t know when those 10 starts are going to come. Someone needs to pitch the other 1400 innings. If he signs for the stretch run and you know your getting Max in August and September then you can strategize. Having him come off the DL in June to go back on in August just means your reshuffling your staff. We’ll see what happens next year. My guess is he’s going to try to paid one more time and sign for a full season. Nothing wrong with that.
Dodgers
Just the way he’s looked last year and what I’ve seen of him this year he looks cooked. The nagging injuries are starting to mount. It sucks when a great one gets to this point but it happens to everyone. If Max wants to get paid one more time that’s his right and there is nothing wrong with that. I personally wish he’d hang it up. It’s time. Same with Verlander.
@ 9 million per inning, they probably ought to be quality to say the least
How is Texas liking the Scherzer contract at this point?
I believe that the Mets agreed to pick up most of his contract when the Rangers acquired him. Similar to the Astros with Verlander.
Boston surely misses Eovaldi i bet.If only they would find pitchers who are never hurt.Pitchers on the IL don’t help the team.they need to pitch and pitch well every game.