The Texas Rangers announced Wednesday that Max Scherzer is out for the rest of the season with a low-grade strain of his teres major muscle.
Right-hander Max Scherzer is expected to miss the remainder of the regular season with a strained teres major — a muscle that connects the scapula to the humerus. Scherzer is, Texas general manager Chris Young told reporters, there’s a slim chance for him to pitch in the playoffs. Brutal news for the Rangers.
Right-hander Max Scherzer is expected to miss the remainder of the regular season with a strained teres major — a muscle that connects the scapula to the humerus. Scherzer is, Texas GM Chris Young told reporters, “unlikely” to pitch in the playoffs.
Brutal news for the Rangers.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) September 13, 2023
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Deadline Hopes Dashed
Scherzer only made eight starts in a Rangers uniform following his trade from the New York Mets at the deadline. He was acquired to add depth to a starting rotation that had already lost Jacob deGrom and Jake Odorizzi for the season. Scherzer went 4-2 with a 3.20 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 45 innings pitched. He exited his start Tuesday night with arm discomfort in the fifth inning and underwent an MRI on Wednesday morning. The teres major muscle stretches from the back of the upper arm through the shoulder blade. No surgical treatment is needed for a strain, but the injury is painful and slow to rehabilitate. Scherzer was one of the darlings of the Rangers’ trade deadline moves. Now, he’ll be unavailable to pitch in the games he was acquired for.
Rangers’ Postseason Outlook
The Scherzer injury adds even more uncertainty to Texas’s playoff odds, which have been wobbly in the recent past. The Rangers have just a 23-31 record since the trade deadline. When Scherzer was acquired, Texas had a half-game lead in the AL West. However, on August 2, they lost their standing for the first time since April 8 and have yet to regain it. Entering Wednesday’s game, the Rangers are one game behind the Houston Astros in the division and only a half-game ahead of the Seattle Mariners. They hold the second wild-card spot, with the Mariners right behind.
Fortunately for Texas, their rotation has held up admirably despite the injuries. Rangers starters rank fifth in collective ERA this season. Since last season, Nathan Eovaldi, Andrew Heaney, and Jordan Montgomery have done enough to boost the pitching staff. Eovaldi returned from injury on September 5 after a lengthy absence and figures to cover most of Scherzer’s innings down the stretch. In addition, Jon Gray returned Tuesday from injury as well. Texas will see if their labor was worth it as they try to survive into October.
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