Rangers Pitcher Max Scherzer Took Himself Out Of A Start Again

Texas Rangers pitcher Max Scherzer has long been known as one of baseball’s most durable starting pitchers.

But the 39-year-old starter is being a lot more cautious about his health this season.

Scherzer started Friday night’s home game against the Minnesota Twins in Arlington, with the Rangers needing every win in a tight AL West division race. Scherzer was dominant through six scoreless innings, and with just 88 pitches, seemed set to return for the seventh.

But surprisingly, he was replaced by reliever Brock Burke, who promptly allowed three earned runs, contributing to a 5-1 Rangers loss.

After the game, Scherzer told reporters he’d made the decision to leave the game himself, citing forearm tightness. Those are ominous words for any baseball fan to hear when it comes to pitchers.

And Scherzer made some interesting comments about why he felt it necessary to leave the game, despite the issue being reportedly minor.

“I’m not going to let that turn into a strain or Tommy John situation,” Scherzer said. “When you’re in this spot for me throughout my career, I always tell my managers exactly where I’m at.

“This is not a time where you get to be a hero, take the ball, ‘I want to go win the game’ and compete at every last bit of cost and you go hurt yourself because of that. You actually have to check down from that. You actually have to be smart.”

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 01: Max Scherzer #31 of the Texas Rangers pitches in the fourth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Globe Life Field on September 01, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tim Heitman/Getty Images)

Max Scherzer Right To Be Cautious?

Scherzer knows himself better than anyone, and at 39, any discomfort can easily turn into a significant injury.

That said, while it’s important to be healthy for the postseason, winning the division carries extra weight by avoiding a short Wild Card series.

Even though he says he’s avoided serious injury, it’s not a great sign for Scherzer’s effectiveness the rest of the season that he had to come out early. And it’s an even more concerning sign for the Rangers’ 2024 roster, considering Scherzer’s owed well over $40 million for 2024.

At the end of the day, the opportunity cost of crossing “the line” as Scherzer called it is probably not worth risking further injury. But it raises questions about where the rest of the season is heading, and how much Texas fans may be able to count on him going forward.