Max Scherzer Ready to 'Match The Moment' for Texas Rangers in World Series

Texas Rangers starter Max Scherzer will make his third postseason start in Game 3 of the World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks

PHOENIX — Games like Monday night are the things that get Max Scherzer up in the morning.

But it’s also just the fourth time the Texas Rangers right-hander has started a World Series game, and his first since 2019, when the right-hander made two starts for the Washington Nationals against the Houston Astros.

He even has a way he thinks of games like this.

“You’ve got to match the moment,” Scherzer said Sunday at Chase Field as the Rangers prepared for their workout. “A lot of times players will be out there, kind of subdued because the moment is so big. That’s the opposite for me. I have to match the moment. This is a big game.”

Scherzer (0-1, 9.45) will start Game 3 opposite Arizona rookie right-hander Brandon Pfaadt (0-0, 2.70). The series is tied 1-1. First pitch is set for 7:03 p.m. CT.

In the World Series, Scherzer is 1-0 with an ERA of 3.86 and 18 strikeouts in 16 1/3 innings. He made it through five innings in two starts and 6 1/3 innings in the other.

World Series Game 3 starter Max Scherzer is making his third start of this postseason for the Rangers after two outing against Houston in the ALCS / © Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The Rangers would love to see Scherzer give them at least five quality innings after all the work he did to be ready for this moment.

Scherzer says he can throw a fastball “100 percent.” The question is how far he can go. Neither he nor Rangers manager Bruce Bochy can put a number on it.

“He could give us length,” Bochy said. “I’ve talked to him about this. He’s comfortable pretty much throwing like he normally does.”

Monday will be Scherzer’s third start since a shoulder injury Sept. 12. The normal recovery projection was 8-12 weeks. Rangers general manager Chris Young said Scherzer was “unlikely” to pitch in the postseason.

The MRI taken after the injury left Scherzer hopeful that he could be back in about four weeks.

“For me that’s good enough motivation to keep things going,” Scherzer said.

Scherzer started twice against Houston the ALCS. He threw 63 pitches over four innings on Oct. 18 and 44 pitches in 2 2/3 innings give days later.

Scherzer is pitching in his former stomping grounds, breaking in with Arizona in 2008. This is all new for Pfaadt.

The Diamondbacks’ run to the World Series is just as surprising as the Rangers, even to the locals, who are just getting to the point where they recognize Pfaadt in public.

“Yeah, I think for the first time ever, three weeks ago me and Ryne Nelson went out to eat,” he said. “This kid walks up and says, ‘Hey, can I have a picture?’ And we're, like, ‘Wait, does he recognize us or he just wants a picture?’”

Pfaadt had a 3-9 record and a 5.72 ERA in the regular season but has found some steadiness in the postseason in four starts.

He hasn’t taken a decision, but in 16 2/3 inning he’s allowed 15 hits, five runs and has struck out 22 against three walks.

He will be looking for a little redemption, too. His first career start came against Texas on May 3, and he allowed nine hits and seven runs in 4 2/3 innings.

“It was cool going back to Arlington,” Pfaadt said of the first two games of the series. “It was like a full circle. That debut day was kind of a blur, but some things came back when we showed up to the ballpark. It was really cool to be there and kind of see that full-circle moment.”

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You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.

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