Scherzer's season over as hamstring strain sends him back to IL

ARLINGTON -- Max Scherzer's tenure with the Texas Rangers has likely come to an end.

Scherzer, who is a free agent after this season, was scratched from his start on Saturday against the Mariners with a left hamstring strain. He was added to the 15-day injured list, ending his season and likely his time with the club.

“Max woke up today and his left hamstring was tight,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said before Texas' 8-4 loss to the Mariners at Globe Life Field. “Tight to the point where he said he couldn’t go. He felt it yesterday running some sprints and it just didn’t clear up like he was hoping. He let us know he’s not available today.”

Scherzer said on Sunday that he could have bounced back and pitched during the final road trip of the seasons. But with the bullpen so depleted from filling innings behind Tommy John rehabbers Jacob deGrom and Kumar Rocker, it was better for both him and the team to shut it down for the year.

His final outing of the season was last Saturday in Seattle, when he tossed four innings, giving up two runs and striking out two.

“Look, this season's been obviously frustrating for me,” Scherzer said. “Probably the most frustrating season of my career. But the only good news is now I can go into the offseason healthy. My back's good, my arm's good. The real serious things that you need to think about and talk about are actually in a good spot. I still believe I can put you at a high level. There's nothing stopping me from doing that, just right now my body is not fully cooperating.”

Scherzer, who was acquired in a Trade Deadline deal with the Mets in 2023, opened the ‘24 season on the IL as he recovered from offseason back surgery. Initially, he was set for an early return in mid-May before he was shut down due to a nerve issue shortly after making one rehab appearance with Triple-A Round Rock in April.

Despite a pair of healthy stints this season, Scherzer dealt with various arm fatigue and nerve issues throughout the year that never allowed him to ramp up to a full workload. He finished the 2024 season with a 3.95 ERA over nine starts.

Nine starts is the fewest Scherzer has made in a full season since his rookie year in 2008 (seven starts, 16 total games).

“Look, Max has been battling some things,” Bochy said. “He's been trying hard to get back out there pitching, which he has. Yeah, it's a challenge. You want him out there. We were hoping to see him out there on a consistent basis, but we had some things that we were trying to figure out with him and now it's a hamstring. So it's been a tough year for him, and sure, that makes it look difficult for us, too, because we're having to fill that spot. So it’s been a battle.”

Over his season and a half with the Rangers, he has compiled a 3.57 ERA over 88 1/3 innings across 17 starts.

Scherzer also missed the final six weeks of the 2023 regular season due to a muscle strain in his right shoulder. He was ultimately able to make three postseason starts during the Rangers’ run to their first World Series title in franchise history, but back spasms knocked him out ahead of the series-clinching Game 5 in Arizona.

He said he’s open to returning to the Rangers next season.

“We won a World Series here,” Scherzer said. “I get along with the guys in here. We have a great clubhouse. But I also know how it goes when you're a free agent. I've been in free agency two other times in my career. I get how this goes. I've seen how things go, and I'm realistic about it, so you could just kind of let that take care of itself.”

A three-time Cy Young Award-winner (2013, 2016, 2017) and eight-time All-Star, Scherzer ranks 11th on MLB’s all-time strikeouts list (3,407).

The 40-year-old obviously wants to pitch next season. Whether that happens in Texas or elsewhere has yet to be determined, but Scherzer believes a full, healthy offseason will set him up well to pitch in 2025.

“My arm's in a good spot right now,” he said. “I had finally gotten that under control. I was finally ready to ramp back up and really pitch well. But unfortunately, that's not the cards for me right now. I have to wait 'til next year. But I've actually been very good.

“I’ve been able to find ways around [the nerve issue] and I actually think given an offseason to properly address the root of it and really address that, I don't see that being an issue next year at all.”