Texas Rangers' Max Scherzer Inching Closer to Return From Injury in Time For ALCS

Max Scherzer participated in pitchers' fielding practice on Friday as the Texas Rangers gear up for an ALCS showdown with the Houston Astros.

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Max Scherzer appears to have taken another step towards his return from injury.

Scherzer, who has been out for the past month due to a shoulder strain, took part in pitchers' fielding practice Friday as the Rangers prepare to face the Houston Astros in the ALCS. Manager Bruce Bochy has until Sunday morning to submit his roster for the series, and it still remains to be seen if Scherzer is healthy enough to make the cut.

Bochy told reporters Thursday that Scherzer threw around 60 pitches in a simulated game Wednesday, and Scherzer himself spoke to the media after fielding grounders on Friday. Scherzer said not to put too much stock into PFP, however, when asked if it was the final hurdle he needed to clear before returning.

"I do two days of PFP in a year – one in spring training, one the day before postseason," Scherzer said.

As for where he thinks he is on his road to recovery, Scherzer didn't have a clear answer just yet.

"It's just gonna be play it by ear," Scherzer said. "I'll just be in communication with Boch and (pitching coach Mike Maddux) and we'll see how this shakes out."

#MaxScherzer on his status ...#ALCS#GoAndTakeIt pic.twitter.com/3xyDCwd9Co

— Stefan Stevenson (@StefanVersusTex) October 13, 2023

The Rangers acquired Scherzer in a deal with the New York Mets ahead of the MLB Trade Deadline in July. His stats improved across the board when he arrived in Texas, and he finished the regular season 13-6 with a 3.77 ERA, 1.120 WHIP and 10.3 strikeouts per nine innings.

Scherzer was diagnosed with a low-grade strain of the teres major muscle in his right shoulder in September, leading to a rare stint on the injury list for the 39-year-old righty. At the time, he was expected to miss the rest of the regular season and the entirety of the playoffs.

Instead, Scherzer is on the verge of returning to the mound, possibly in an effort to get the Rangers back to the World Series for the first time since they made back-to-back trips in 2010 and 2011.

Scherzer has a championship ring from his time with the Washington Nationals, when he helped lift his team over the Astros in the 2019 Fall Classic. The three-time Cy Young winner and eight-time All-Star led Washington to two wins in that series, and he has a 3.58 career ERA in the postseason.

Game 1 of the ALCS is scheduled to get underway at 8:15 p.m. ET on Sunday. The Rangers will need to submit their official roster that morning at the latest.

Texas is undefeated so far this postseason, sweeping the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL Wild Card Series and the Baltimore Orioles in the ALDS. Nathan Eovaldi, Jordan Montgomery and Andrew Heaney have served as Bochy's starters to this point.

Scherzer's former Mets teammate, Justin Verlander, is the Astros' Game 1 starter. 

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