Rangers ace heading to injured list with shoulder fatigue
The Texas Rangers’ chances of making the playoffs have been significantly impacted by another injury to Max Scherzer.
On Friday, the Rangers placed Scherzer on the 15-day injured list due to “right shoulder fatigue.” Scherzer, who had only made eight starts since returning midseason after undergoing offseason back surgery, is now sidelined again.
This latest shoulder issue seems to be part of a concerning pattern. Chelsea Janes, a long-time baseball writer for the Washington Post who extensively covered Scherzer during his tenure with the Washington Nationals, noted that Scherzer sounded more uncertain than ever about how long he might continue pitching during an interview last month.
When I caught up with him a month or so ago, Scherzer was as uncertain as I’ve ever heard him about how long he could keep pitching. Numbers are ok, but it hasn’t looked comfortable or easy. Now another IL stint with two months to go. https://t.co/FjOw3R8s2t
— Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) August 2, 2024
Scherzer has faced a series of injuries over the past few years. He hasn’t reached 30 starts in a season since 2021 and struggled with significant back issues during last year’s World Series. Even when he’s been healthy, his performance hasn’t matched his peak years. This season, in eight starts, Scherzer has a modest 3.89 ERA and has recorded 38 strikeouts in 39 1/3 innings, a significant drop from his prime years when he averaged 12 strikeouts per nine innings.
Having turned 40 earlier this week, Scherzer’s return to the mound for the Rangers this season remains uncertain. At this point, there are legitimate concerns about his physical condition.
