ARLINGTON – Max Scherzer is set to make his season debut.
The Texas Rangers right-hander said Saturday that he will make his first start of the season in Sunday’s series finale against the Kansas City Royals at Globe Life Field. It will be Scherzer’s first major league start since Game 3 of the World Series last year.
“I just want to go out there and compete,” Scherzer said Saturday. “I know I can go out there and throw and compete. I just want to stay healthy.”
Scherzer – who last pitched as a rehab pitcher on June 15 with the Triple-A Round Rock Express – suffered a loss of grip strength that briefly delayed his return. Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said Scherzer will not face a hard pitch count, although the staff will monitor his workload and reaction after each inning.
“I’m happy about it and I know he’s happy too,” Bochy said. “We waited to make sure his thumb was OK… we wanted to make sure that was cleared up.”
The three-time Cy Young Award winner battled a series of injuries last season after the Rangers acquired him from the New York Mets at the July trade deadline. He played just eight games in the regular season due to a strained teres major muscle and was pulled from his only start in the World Series due to back spasms.
He underwent back surgery in December, did good rehab and began rehab in April before being sidelined with pain in his thumb, which developed into a nerve infection in his right hand that spread into his arm.
In his two rehab appearances this month, Scherzer, who turns 40 on July 27, hasn’t shown the same speed he has in the major leagues. His average was 93.7 mph in 2023, but he averaged 92.9 mph and 92.1 mph, respectively.
“I really hope (the pace picks up on Sunday),” Scherzer said. “I’m a high-adrenaline pitcher. If you put me in the right atmosphere, that atmosphere makes you better. I really hope that’s the case, because that would prove that I don’t play my absolute best in situations where it’s not required.”
Bochy said that right-hander Dane Dunning, who has a 4.73 ERA in 12 starts this season, will now move to the bullpen due to Scherzer’s return. The Rangers’ starting lineup currently consists of Nathan Eovaldi, Michael Lorenzen, Jon Gray, Andrew Heaney and Scherzer.
“It really makes us a better team,” Bochy said. “We saw last year that it really helps the bullpen when guys go there to help us.”
Editor Evan Grant contributed to this article.
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