ARLINGTON, Texas – Three-time Cy Young Award winner and leader eliminated from active career, Max Scherzer was placed on the 15-day injured list on Friday because of right shoulder fatigue.
Scherzer (2-4) has made just eight starts since making his season debut on June 23 after having offseason back surgery and then dealing with a nerve issue in his arm.
The Rangers announced the move to the IL ahead of their home opener against Boston after manager Bruce Bochy spoke to reporters. The change was retroactive to Wednesday, a day after Scherzer failed to make it past the fourth inning for the third time in a four-game span.
Texas recalled left-handed reliever Walter Pennington from Triple-A Round Rock. He was assigned to that minor league club after the Rangers acquired him on Monday in a trade that sent right-hander Michael Lorenzen to Kansas City.
In his final home start, on July 25, two days before his 40th birthday, Scherzer allowed one run and struck out nine in six innings against the Chicago White Sox. He passed three-time Cy Young winner Justin Verlander for 10th on the strikeout list — and most among active pitchers.
Scherzer, who was born in St. Louis and raised in the area, allowed three runs in four innings while throwing 68 pitches in the loss against the Cardinals on Tuesday night. His five strikeouts brought his career total to 3,405.
Bochy said after that game that Scherzer’s arm “just got tired there” and that he could feel it in his triceps.
Scherzer said that night that he was “trying to get over those starts and accelerate.” He added that he just needed one more day and didn’t need to go to IL.
The Rangers had a bad day on Thursday, so if they had stayed in order, their next move would have been on Monday. Now, the first day it will be available again will be August 15th.
Losing Scherzer puts the Rangers’ rotation in greater flux. Jon Gray is on the IL for the second time this season with a strained right groin after injuring himself in his final warm-up camp before his scheduled game last Sunday, and the earliest he could return would be August 13th. concluded the deal to trade Lorenzen.
Tyler Mahle could make his Rangers debut Tuesday, nearly 15 months after Tommy John surgery. Texas signed the right-hander to a two-year, $22 million contract in free agency last winter with the expectation he could pitch this season.
Two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom is scheduled to throw another bullpen session on Saturday, and will progress to pitching to hitters if all goes well. He is recovering from his own right elbow surgery, which came after he went 2-0 with a 2.67 ERA in his only six starts early last season after signing with Texas as a free agent.
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