Texas Rangers’ Max Scherzer’s second rehab start has been postponed due to thumb soreness.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner is recovering from a back surgery and was set to pitch for Double-A Frisco.
- Max Scherzer’s second rehab start is postponed due to thumb soreness.
- The pitcher is recovering from a herniated disk surgery but is currently hindered by a thumb issue.
- Texas Rangers management considers this a minor setback, expecting only a short delay.
Scherzer’s Rehab Postponed Due to Thumb Injury
Max Scherzer, right-hander of the Texas Rangers and a future Hall of Famer, has slightly delayed his rapid recovery due to ligament soreness in his throwing thumb.
Originally scheduled for his second rehab start with Double-A Frisco at Corpus Christi on Tuesday night, Scherzer has postponed the outing after consulting with team management.
Scherzer’s Past Injuries Shape Cautious Rehab Approach
Scherzer is rehabilitating from mid-December surgery intended to repair a herniated disk in his lower back.
He reports that his back is not currently causing discomfort; however, the thumb soreness is a new concern.
Last year, similar thumb soreness led to more significant issues for Scherzer, affecting his forearm and contributing to a shoulder strain that sidelined him during postseason games.
The thumb soreness experienced is reminiscent of these past challenges, making him more careful this time around in how he handles his comeback.
Scherzer’s Stellar Career Highlights His Value to Rangers
At 39 years old and soon to be 40, Max Scherzer has had impressive career numbers that show how important he is to the Rangers and how well he stands out in baseball.
He has the most strikeouts (3,367) among all currently playing pitchers, and he’s second in both total wins (214) and games started (448) among his fellow players.
After moving from the Mets to the Rangers in mid-last season, with New York paying most of his $43.3 million salary, Scherzer quickly showed he was worth it.
He achieved a record of 4-2 and an ERA of 3.20 over eight starts, showing he’s very important to the team, especially in the important games later in the season.
Team Management’s Response to Scherzer’s Setback
Even though it’s frustrating, Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy and general manager Chris Young aren’t too worried about this small delay.
Bochy called it “a minor setback” and pointed out that it will only be a few days, not weeks, before Scherzer can play again.
“It’s just some discomfort, and I just need to let that subside so nothing bad happens. I’m not overly concerned. This will go away; I just need some time to let it breathe,” Scherzer explained.
The team’s approach is to allow the thumb soreness to fully heal to avoid any potential complications, making sure Scherzer stays healthy for the long run and can help the team as much as possible.
Scherzer remains optimistic about his condition after his initial rehab start for Triple-A Round Rock, where he threw 52 pitches and demonstrated promising velocity and control.
He aims to rejoin the Rangers’ rotation, possibly by Mother’s Day weekend in Colorado, ahead of the initially projected early June timeline.
