The Texas Rangers are not having the season they hoped for.
They lost their 15th game out of the last 20 on Friday (MIN 4, TEX 3), dropping their record to 56-67. Now, they’re far behind in the AL West and even further from a wild-card spot. If this continues, they might be the first team since the 2014 Red Sox to have a losing record after winning the World Series.
Their offense has struggled, ranking only 19th in runs scored per game. Injuries to key starting pitchers like Jacob deGrom and Tyler Mahle were expected, but others like Cody Bradford’s back injury caught them off guard. A lot has gone wrong for Texas this year .
Max Scherzer is one of those injured pitchers. After back surgery during the offseason and a thumb issue slowing his rehab, he made eight starts before a shoulder problem sidelined him again on Aug. 2. Even when healthy, he’s had an up-and-down season with a 3.89 ERA over 39⅓ innings.
Max Scherzer’s Future Plans:
Despite turning 40 in July and dealing with injuries, Scherzer told Dallas Morning News he plans to keep pitching in 2025. He’s finishing up his three-year contract worth $130 million that he signed with the Mets before being traded to Texas last year. The Mets are covering most of his salary this season.
“When I’m out there, I’ve been able to compete,” Scherzer said to Dallas Morning News. “I look at things like my slider, which I wanted to fix this season, and it’s been really good.”
Scherzer’s resume is impressive: three Cy Young Awards (2013, 2016, 2017), two World Series titles (Nationals in 2019 and Rangers in 2023), two no-hitters, and he’s tenth on the all-time strikeout list—definitely Hall of Fame material.
Fans might think it’s amazing how much he’s accomplished despite all these setbacks.
He’s still got that competitive spirit and teams always need experienced pitchers like him around their younger players. While he’s no longer an ace who can pitch over 200 innings a season, he could still be valuable as a No. 3 or No.4 starter on any team looking for depth.
Scherzer threw a bullpen session on Friday consisting of about twenty-five pitches as part of his recovery plan from his shoulder injury; another session with forty pitches is scheduled for Sunday before deciding next steps based on how he feels afterward without any setbacks occurring along way towards making some starts late into this current campaign showcasing himself ahead free agency period looming soon enough!
What do you think about Scherzer’s chances next year?
