The Texas Rangers on Friday made a roster move, placing starting pitcher Max Scherzer on the 15-day injured list due to right shoulder fatigue. Scherzer started the season on the injured list after having surgery in the offseason for a herniated disc in his back. He’s also dealt with thumb soreness, nerve issues and we’ve heard about the arm fatigue multiple times.
Scherzer, 40, is 2-4 with a 3.89 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 38 strikeouts against eight walks in 39 1/3 innings this season. There’s an awful lot of mileage on his arm, as he’s worked 2,874 innings in his MLB career in the regular season, not to mention college, the minors and 143 playoff innings.
The three-time Cy Young winner and two-time World Series champion is a future Hall of Famer and will figure heavily in the Rangers’ plans down the stretch if he can shake the shoulder fatigue.
The Rangers’ current rotation is now Nathan Eovaldi, Andrew Heaney, Dane Dunning and José Ureña. Lefty Cody Bradford came off the injured list to work two innings in relief on July 30 and he could move back into the rotation. He had success there through three starts early in the season.
Jacob deGrom, Jon Gray and Tyler Mahle are on the injured list with Scherzer. deGrom recently threw a 45-pitch bullpen session as he looks to return from Tommy John surgery. Gray has a groin injury and is expected to miss August. Mahle, also battling back from Tommy John surgery, has gone up to 74 pitches in a minor-league rehab assignment, so he’s the closest to a return.
The defending champion Rangers enter Friday’s action 4 1/2 games back in the AL West and eight games out of a wild-card spot. They have lost four of their last five.
