Scherzer on joining Rangers: 'Best place for me'

ARLINGTON -- Max Scherzer never expected to be traded. After all, he was the co-ace on a Mets club that made its World Series intentions clear over the last two offseasons.

Then the Mets brass traded closer David Robertson to the Marlins on Thursday, and it became clear that New York’s World Series aspirations had shifted away from this season. After talks with owner Steve Cohen and general manager Billy Eppler, Scherzer realized that the vision for the Mets likely did not include him past the Trade Deadline.

By Sunday morning, Scherzer had waived his no-trade clause. Soon after that, he was a Texas Ranger.

“Obviously, this team's in first place for a reason,” Scherzer said of joining the club. “They've been playing great baseball. If you look back at my career when I've been traded, it's always been to a team that wants you and is in a good situation. So with Texas calling, realizing the situation that I had in New York and realizing the situation that was now developing in Texas, that this was going to be the best place for me to continue my career, and have a chance to be able to win as well.”

The likely future Hall of Famer hasn't looked his best this season, though, and even took responsibility for how his own struggles affected the Mets’ season. Scherzer has posted a 4.01 ERA with 121 strikeouts over 107 2/3 innings. He has been especially susceptible to the long ball, allowing a career-high 1.9 home runs per nine innings.

Scherzer said he’s felt like his execution and location have been the biggest issues early this season, as he’s left more pitches over the middle of the plate than he has historically. All that has led to him giving up home runs at a “rate he isn’t comfortable with.”

“I've kind of had a Jekyll and Hyde season,” Scherzer said. “There's been some starts where I pitched well, some starts that haven't gone well. I've been trying to make adjustments, trying to iron it out and figure out what exactly I need to do to execute all my pitches where I want them. I feel like over the past couple of weeks I've identified some of the right things.

“As much as it's been frustrating, it's been up and down for me, I'm also in a spot where I'm healthy. I’ve got my mechanics right, I’m throwing the ball well. You get the first place, now you’ve got to win. You come here, you’ve got to win. That's what it's about. But that's where I love to be.”

Whether this is who Scherzer is now or not has yet to be seen. But the right-hander brings a lot to this team and this rotation, both on and off the field. He’s here to help Texas win, while joining a rotation that now includes Nathan Eovaldi, Jordan Montgomery and Jon Gray.

Scherzer has won Cy Youngs -- three, to be exact. He’s won a World Series with Washington in 2019. On top of that, he’s got 133 1/3 innings of postseason experience.

“For me, my biggest strength is being a leader by example,” Scherzer said. “I can be a vocal leader, but that's not my best strength. My best strength is to go out there and just show you how I do it. Compete at all times. Be prepared. Guys tend to gravitate towards that. That's how they typically follow along, is by following what you do, not what you say.

“So for me now, being an elder statesman in this game, being 39 years old, being now the old guy in the clubhouse, you’ve got to do things right, all the time. So it's something I've dealt with and been with. But I love being a part of this situation and looking forward to the situation here in Texas.”