Texas Rangers starting pitcher Max Scherzer will miss the first part of the 2024 season after undergoing surgery on a herniated disc in his back. Scherzer provided a positive injury update on Monday amid his rehab, via Bally Sports Southwest.
“I feel great. I feel normal,” Scherzer said. “This is really weird to not be in any pain, yet you can’t do anything. That’s almost the hardest part of this. You gotta be… so cautious of what you do even though there’s no pain for me… I’m doing everything I can to stay in shape as best I can. Once I get the all clear, then I’ll be ready to go.”
The Rangers acquired the 39-year-old prior to the 2023 trade deadline. After struggling with the New York Mets, Scherzer found his footing and performed well down the stretch for Texas. He ultimately recorded a respectable 3.20 ERA across 45 innings pitched for the Rangers. However, he was limited due to injuries toward the end of the season.
Scherzer’s drive and competitiveness cannot be denied. He loves to take the ball in the big moments and give everything he has. Unfortunately, the three-time Cy Young winner has dealt with injury trouble over the past few years.
Rangers, Scherzer looking ahead
The Rangers are the defending World Series champions. They will enter the ’24 season with confidence as a result. The question is whether or not Texas can perform well to open the year with Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom expected to miss the first portion of the regular season.
Texas’ offense should help them stay afloat. Meanwhile, the pitching has enough depth to hold up through the first few months of 2024.
The good news is that Scherzer is clearly trending in a positive direction. He’d probably take the mound tomorrow if it were up to him.
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