'Just Incredible.' Texas Rangers Ace Max Scherzer Shows Cy Young Form In 2024 Debut

Texas Rangers ace Max Scherzer held the Kanas City Royals to one hit over five scoreless innings in his first 2024 start on Sunday.

Jun 23, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) delivers a pitch to the Kansas City Royals during the first inning at Globe Life Field. / Jim Cowsert-USA TODAY Sports

ARLINGTON — Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said the club didn’t need Max Scherzer to be a three-time Cy Young winner on Sunday. Scherzer just needed to do enough to help them win.

Scherzer pitched like one anyway.

“It just makes you appreciate how good this man is,” Bochy said after the Rangers shut out the Kansas City Royals, 4-0, to finish a three-game sweep at Globe Life Field.

Scherzer only needed five innings to show he was back, holding the Royals scoreless on one hit while striking out four and walking none. In just 57 pitches, he proved more than effective. Before his outing was over, he was locating all four pitches where he wanted.

“I made an adjustment to my tempo and my rhythm from when I first came out,” Scherzer said. “After the fastball to that first batter, I could tell that everything was down. Once I caught some rhythm and got into the flow of the game, I was able to throw better sliders and curve balls.”

Scherzer, 39, retired the first 13 hitters, and for much of the first three innings, the Royals managed mostly only weak contact.

MJ Melendez's ground-rule double with one out in the fifth was the only Kansas City hit against Scherzer.

He struck out the next hitter, Hunter Renfroe, to record his 3,371st career strikeout. That tied him with Greg Maddux — the Hall-of-Fame brother of Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux — for 11th in MLB history.

Bochy and Scherzer said the right-hander could have gone farther. But the starter did not lobby to go back in the sixth. The nerve issue that delayed his return is still there, and the Rangers don’t want to re-aggravate it. Plus, there is no off day on the road trip, meaning the club expects him to start on normal rest on Friday in Baltimore.

Max Scherzer says the nerve issue in his throwing arm is still a thing. He doesn't know how his arm is going to respond to this start. Sounds like his situation is still precarious. pic.twitter.com/asONgmCDxV

— Stefan Stevenson (@StefanVersusTex) June 23, 2024

"To still go out and do what he does at his age is just impressive," Corey Seager said. "It's just all around a really good outing. It's a big morale boost for our whole team."

Scherzer admitted to some fatigue after the game and agreed that five innings was enough for his first start of 2024.

He missed most of the first three months recovering from December herniated disc surgery.

While the surgery healed on schedule, and he started a rehab regimen in April, a nerve issue in his right hand pushed his return back by more than a month. That led to him making two rehab starts at Triple-A Round Rock earlier this month.

He joined the Rangers at last season’s trade deadline and helped them win the first World Series in franchise history, going 4-2 with a 3.20 ERA with Texas during the regular season.

"Just increbible."
Bochy on Max Scherzer's 2024 debut. pic.twitter.com/rbQnE6GRaZ

— Stefan Stevenson (@StefanVersusTex) June 23, 2024