Max Scherzer's Latest Start, Postgame Comments Aren't Exactly Encouraging For Texas Rangers

Arm fatigue helps shorten Max Scherzer's sixth start on Saturday. Whether he'll be available for his next start in the rotation seems tenuous.

Stefan Stevenson/Rangers On SI

ARLINGTON — Maybe it's nothing. Hopefully, it's nothing.

Max Scherzer said he's dealing with arm fatigue after allowing four runs in two innings in an 8-4 loss to the Baltimore Orioles Saturday night.

Scherzer, who turns 40 on Saturday, felt the fatigue during his Wednesday bullpen session and hoped he'd be able to pitch through it. But when his pitch count ballooned to 53 after just two innings, including a four-run second, he agreed with pitching coach Mie Maddux and manager Bruce Bochy that he was done for the night.

"I've had a lot of different [arm ailments] over the years where you're not 100% out there and you can go out there and find a way to navigate and you can pitch and you can get through lineups," Scherzer said. "I've done it many times, and I was just kind of hoping that if I got deeper into the ballgame [my] arm would respond and I'd be able to make it through, but it just wasn't. It was only going to get worse; it wasn't going to loosen up. So that's why I had a conversation with [Maddux] and Boch, 'Hey, we're really risking injury if I go back out there.'"

Max on feeling arm fatigue tonight... pic.twitter.com/9TZ5RvwP4N

— Stefan Stevenson (@StefanVersusTex) July 21, 2024

Scherzer felt some fatigue during his bullpen session on Wednesday while home in Florida during the All-Star break but hoped to recover in time for Saturday's start.

"I thought I was going to be good, that this was going to recover in time," he said. "My concern from the start was going to be more about the pitch count. How deep could I go into the game?"

The fatigue, Scherzer said, was affecting his pitch location and movement.

"So, at that point, I knew I needed to come out of the ballgame. Otherwise, I was going to be risking further injury. Good news is that I didn't have any zings; I didn't strain anything. Hopefully, this reduced outing kind of gives me a blow and allows me to get back out there as soon as possible."

It was Scherzer's sixth start since returning to the roster from the injured list on June 23. He had December back surgery and then dealt with a nerve issue in his right thumb and arm during his initial rehab stint in late April. He dismissed the fatigue, in part, as still part of his ramp-up process after missing spring training because of the surgery.

"This is just this is part of the ramp up of trying to get into midseason form as fast as I can," he said. "My arm just got a little fatigued and it should go away with just a little time. It's not a strain. It just needs a little rest."

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