Rangers ace Max Scherzer was thought to be done for the season as recently as last month due to a teres major strain, but the veteran righty has spent the postseason to this point rehabbing the injury with the hope of returning in time to impact the pennant chase in Texas. With the Rangers now poised to face the Astros in the ALCS starting this weekend, Scherzer’s rehab appears to be in the best place its been to this point. In conversation with reporters, manager Bruce Bochy told reporters (including Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News) that Scherzer’s 60-pitch simulated game yesterday left him feeling “real encouraged” regarding the future Hall of Famer’s health entering the upcoming series. Jeff Wilson of Rangers Today adds that Bochy indicated Scherzer would be a starting pitcher for the club if he is well enough to make the roster.
The news is surely encouraging for fans in Arlington. In winning five straight games to advance to the ALCS, the club’s starting and multi-inning options in Jordan Montgomery, Nathan Eovaldi, Andrew Heaney, Dane Dunning, and Cody Bradford have pitched exceptionally well, with a combined 2.05 ERA in 44 innings of work. A healthy Scherzer would allow Texas more flexibility regarding the usage of Heaney, Dunning, and Bradford with Montgomery and Eovaldi joining the team ace as the club’s three main starters for the series. Scherzer sports a 3.77 ERA in 152 1/3 innings of work this season, though that figure drops to a more impressive 3.20 (140 ERA+) since joining the Rangers ahead of the trade deadline.
More injury news from around the league…
- Alex Kirilloff was replaced by Byron Buxton on the ALDS roster for the Twins yesterday due to a shoulder injury, and The Athletic’s Dan Hayes adds that Kirilloff spoke to reporters following last night’s game regarding the issue. Kirilloff revealed that surgery is on the table regarding his shoulder as he’s dealt with issues regarding it dating back to June. Fortunately, Hayes notes that the injury is in Kirilloff’s non-throwing shoulder and the 25-year-old isn’t concerned about a potential procedure’s rehab process. Kirilloff appeared in 88 games for the Twins this year while battling through wrist and shoulder issues, slashing .270/.348/.445 in 319 trips to the plate. Kirilloff figures to enter Spring Training in the mix for regular starts, with experience both at first base and in the corner outfield spots.
- The Diamondbacks removed catcher Gabriel Moreno from yesterday’s win over the Dodgers due to a hand contusion, sparking concern about the health of the club’s young catcher for the second time this postseason. He had previously been struck in the head by a backswing during the club’s Wild Card series against the Brewers. Fortunately, the club provided an update on Moreno this afternoon via Twitter. Arizona quoted Moreno as saying he “should be available for the rest of the playoffs” after tests on his hand came back negative. Moreno’s had an impressive postseason with a .250/.294/.813 slash line and three home runs in 17 trips to the plate. It’s an excellent capstone to a solid rookie season that saw the 23-year-old slash .284/.339/.408 in 111 games as the primary catcher for the DBacks.
Here is something that annoys me. Sure, Scherzer is good, but his career ERA+ is merely 134. Free agency ($) and fans/writer rankings seem to indicate he is a top pitcher. However, Scherzer’s ERA+ is 34th of all time. Kershaw’s ERA+ is 157 over his career in a similar number of innings. That is 2nd in MLB history and 4th overall, behind Mariano Rivera and 2 non-MLB guys. They have similar K/BB ratios over their careers. Kershaw has more career WAR than Scherzer. The only difference is that one played a lot on the East coast and has disciples working for ESPN, while the other guy has had the misfortune of playing his career on the West coast. Both have had a 300 K season. Is there any other reason besides the location that Scherzer gets all this positive coverage, while Kershaw is mocked as injury-prone? He is younger and has a similar number of innings. With all that said, Scherzer can certainly help Texas try to make the World Series and actually win this year.
I get what you’re saying that people take weird shots at Kershaw, but as far as ranking best of the best, yeah Kershaw is up there, just like Koufax and Pedro, Scherzer is a hall of famer yeah, and Kershaw was the best pitcher of his generation. That all goes without saying.
You are right about JV, he has a triple crown and MVP to his name also.
If you go by ERA+ and use 400games as a measuring point, the three best pitchers all time woul be Kershaw, Pedro and Satchel Paige.
@Seager: Wow, Max has disciples?
John Smotlz was seen asking for his autograph when he was with the Mets.
Also, the ranking of Mariano and Pedro so high are legit. 2 of the best pitchers of all time.
Max Scherzer’s post season record is not a telling factor. Jim Leyland in Detroit was as poor a post season manager as there ever was and I felt the Dodgers wasted Scherzer during his post season there. Post season can be a bit of a crap shoot but, I would take Max Scherzer on my staff if he was healthy.
34th all time is quite good.
As is 4th all time and 2nd amongst MLB guys
4th > 34th no?
Would you agree, though, that Kershaw >>> Scherzer?
That goes without saying
3.15 and 2.48 seem quite different to me.
3 of 4 seasons with a sub-2 ERA
12 straight seasons with an ERA under 3 and 14 of his last 15 since his awful 4.26 rookie ERA
I’d disagree that they are even close. If you ignore stats, you are left with media hype and the “rings are everything” mindset. That’s my exact point. Kershaw is better in virtually every quantifiable way.
Edit: I had no clue Strat-o-matic was a game. I thought you were criticizing using too many stats here and misspelled stat. Lol
Scherzer vs. Verlander. Would be nice to see two twice former teammates (and at the start of the season nonetheless) now face each other on the biggest stage.
The author used the term collectively (for the pitchers as a whole), not exclusively (for one pitcher).
As a Jays fan, who like everyone else across the sport knew it was a bad trade at the time,, I am rooting for Moreno and Gurriel! Show Atkins who’s boss! Snakes all the way!
But, the “expert” on the Baseball Trade Values site assured everyone at the time that it was a steal for the Jays since they got a high WAR guy. How could these experts possibly be wrong??? I mean, a catcher who can throw guys out like Yadi and is above-average offensively can’t possibly be worth more than a defensive specialist outfielder (Varsho)!!!
baseballtradevalues.com/trade-simulator/
Sarcasm aside, I knew this deal was a steal for the Diamondbacks at the time, and yet guys kept citing that exact source to say it was the other way around. Most normal people would have agreed with us that the Jays made a bad trade, but a few somehow disagreed with logic and stats to side with bots.
Thats not an expert, that’s just an algorithm that takas salary and bWAR (always inflated) to give someone’s “trade value”. Most of the “experts” I recall gave Diamondbcks an A+ and Jays a C or D after the deadline.
That was an off-season trade, not a trade deadline one.
Generally speaking, the teams receiving the prospects does better, particularly in regard to WAR/$$$.
Even at the time, I think it was understood that TO gave up more value, but they had excess at the catcher position.
“Fortunately, Hayes notes that the injury is in Kirilloff’s throwing shoulder.” Umm…what??
Editing is too hard these days. F’ it.
Moreno is turning into the poster child for the surprisingly tough and resilient Dbacks youth squad.
After all the hype, Scherzer won’t make it past the first inning.