Texas Rangers Ace Max Scherzer Looking for Redemption in ALCS Game 7 at Houston Astros

Max Scherzer was not happy with his Game 3 start in the ALCS, but thanks to the Texas Rangers winning Game 6, the ace gets another chance in Game 7.

It’s all up to Max Scherzer now.

Game 7 of the American League Championship Series will send either the Texas Rangers or Houston Astros to the World Series after the conclusion of Monday’s deciding affair.

Scherzer is going for the Rangers. Cristian Javier gets the call for the Astros.

It’s a rematch of Game 3. But Scherzer is looking for redemption.

That start on Wednesday was his first after a little more than a month after suffering a shoulder injury against the Toronto Blue Jays on Sept. 12. It’s an injury that normally requires 8-12 weeks to heal. Scherzer managed to get back quite a bit faster.

Rangers starter Max Scherzer went four innings in the 8-5 Game 3 loss to Astros / © Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Not bad for a player that Rangers general manager Chris Young wasn’t even sure would be able to pitch in the postseason.

But Game 3 was anything but vintage Scherzer.

In an 8-5 loss, he went just four innings, giving up five hits and five runs while walking one and striking out four.

It continued a drought that Scherzer would like to forget. He hasn’t won a postseason game since the 2019 World Series against Houston.

“I made some mistakes, I get it,” said Scherzer, who will make his 29th career postseason appearance Monday. “I got punished for it. There were some good things I did good as well.”

Now he faces an Astros team that is decidedly different offensively at home than on the road. That’s been the case all season and it has certainly been the case this series.

The Astros won all three games at Globe Life Field in Arlington and scored 23 runs. In three losses at Minute Maid Park, they’ve scored six runs.

The Rangers beat the Astros 9-2 in Game 6, as Nathan Eovaldi had another fine start and relievers Josh Sborz, Jose Leclerc and Andrew Heaney held the Astros scoreless.

Scherzer threw 63 pitches in his Game 3 start. He said he felt physically fine.

It was clear he wanted redemption as he talked to reporters after the loss.

On Monday, he’ll get that chance.

“It’s tough to take a loss in the postseason anytime, but for me, I’m not going to sit here and beat myself down,” Scherzer said. “I felt like I did some good things and made some good pitches. I’ve got to focus on that and move that forward.”

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You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.

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