Texas Rangers veteran pitcher Max Scherzer has returned to the injured list.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner He was placed on the 15-day injured list.retroactive to Wednesday, due to fatigue in his right shoulder. This is the second time Scherzer has been sidelined this year. To start the season, he was on the injured list after undergoing a surgical procedure for a herniated disk during the offseason.
He made his first appearance of the 2024 season on June 23 and has started just eight games with mixed results for a Rangers team struggling to defend its World Series title.
At 40 years old and having pitched in 2,874 career innings, Father Time appears to be nipping at his heels with the recent injuries he’s suffered. Aside from the right shoulder fatigue that’s been bothering him all season, Scherzer has had to deal with thumb soreness and nerve issues. These injuries don’t bode well for a Rangers rotation that has caught the injury disease of late.
Jacob deGrom, Jon Gray and Tyler Mahle are also on Texas’ injured list. In terms of recovery, deGrom He recently threw a 45-pitch bullpen. While recovering from Tommy John surgery, Gray will miss the month of August with a groin injury. Mahle, also recovering from Tommy John surgery, is 74 pitches into his minor league recovery assignment and is the closest to returning of the three.
The Rangers’ current rotation includes Nathan Eovaldi, Andrew Heaney, Dane Dunning and Jose Ureña. The team traded starter Michael Lorenzen at the deadline, further reducing the roster.
With the team sitting at 52-58, 5.5 games back in the AL West and nine games out of a wild-card spot as of Friday night, the Rangers will have to hope their future Hall of Fame pitcher can return soon to help them in their late-season effort.