One of the Texas Rangers’ key additions just before the MLB trade deadline now won’t be able to help the team at all down the stretch. According to Rangers manager Chris Young, Max Scherzer has been ruled out for the rest of the regular season for what’s described as a “teres major strain” in his right pitching shoulder.
We know Scherzer won’t take the mound for the rest of the Rangers’ 18 regular season matchups, and even a return for the postseason (if the Rangers make it), is not guaranteed with his status for the playoffs labeled as “unlikely.” The good news, if there is any, is that Scherzer won’t require surgery.
Still, the fact that the 39-year-old former Cy Young winner made just eight starts for the Rangers after arriving via trade from New York is certainly not what the organization had in mind. Scherzer completed 45 innings for the Rangers, pitching to an ERA of 3.20, a slight uptick from the 4.01 mark he held with the Mets.
Scherzer initially began experiencing an injury during Tuesday’s start against the Toronto Blue Jays before being pulled in the sixth inning once medical concerns emerged. Shortly after the game completed, Scherzer admitted that he would have preferred to continue pitching, but obviously, the team felt otherwise. The right-handed pitcher underwent an MRI the next day, which uncovered the season-ending injury for the former World Series winner.
With a $43.3 million player option for the 2024 season, Scherzer should be able to help the Rangers make another push for the playoffs next year.
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