Texas Rangers Star Max Scherzer to Miss Opening Day, More After Surgery

The Texas Rangers will be without pitcher Max Scherzer for the start of the 2024 season due to back surgery.

Texas Rangers pitcher Max Scherzer underwent surgery for a herniated disc on Thursday and the recovery will leave him unavailable for Opening Day.

Per multiple reports, the surgery will sideline him until June or July. The Rangers released a quote from Scherzer after the news broke.

“After returning to my offseason home in Florida, my discomfort in my back continued to get worse." Scherzer said. "During this time, I received a diagnosis of a herniated disc. After several conservative treatments and consulting with multiple specialists, I made the decision to have the recommended surgery. 

"Getting this procedure done now will give me the best chance to pitch as much as possible for the Rangers in 2024. I look forward to putting in the rehab work and getting back on the mound next summer.”

General manager Chris Young said the club and Scherzer tried “multiple conservative treatments in pain management” before resorting to surgery, according to MLB.com.

“Obviously, not the best news, but nonetheless, we’re glad that we have a diagnosis and a solution,” Young said. “Max is recovering and feeling better already, and we look forward to getting him healthy and back out there next summer.”

Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young winner, joined the Rangers at the trade deadline from the New York Mets and helped their push to the franchise’s first World Series title and the second of Scherzer’s career. He went 4-2 with a 3.20 ERA in the regular season with Texas but missed the final three weeks with a strained teres major in his shoulder.

Still, he was able to rehab quickly enough to be a part of the Rangers rotation in the AL Championship Series and the World Series.

He left Game 3 of the World Series due to back tightness. The Rangers put him on their injured list the next day.

Scherzer is under contract with the Rangers next season and was to anchor a returning rotation that potentially includes Nathan Eovaldi, Andrew Heaney, Jon Gray, Dane Dunning, and Cody Bradford. Part of the condition of Scherzer’s trade was that he trigger his option for 2024, though the New York Mets are picking up some of the cost.

Now, the Rangers have three starting pitchers that will not be available to start 2024. Along with Scherzer, Jacob deGrom and the newly-signed Tyler Mahle will miss the start of the season. Both deGrom and Mahle are recovering from procedures on the UCL in their pitching arm.

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