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Scherzer Spasms Tie Up Rangers’ World Series Hopes

barry m. bloom
·4 min read
2

Max Scherzer may have thrown his last pitch in the World Series.

The Texas Rangers right-hander, who has won the Cy Young award three times, had to come out of Monday night’s Game 3 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks without throwing a pitch in the fourth inning. The right side of Scherzer’s back started to spasm after the third inning having thrown only 36 pitches. He went to the training room for treatment, but when he came back to the mound to warm up for the fourth, his back “locked up.”

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“At that point I wasn’t myself, and I was going to hurt it even more,” Scherzer told the media assembled around his locker postgame. “I tried [to pitch], but I was going to do more damage than good.”

The Rangers, who beat the Diamondbacks 3-1 Monday night, lead the best-of-seven series 2-1. Corey Seager hit his second homer of the series and Jon Gray led a parade of four Texas relievers to shut down the D-backs on a run and four hits the rest of the way.

Both teams are looking at full bullpen games in Tuesday evening’s Game 4. Andrew Heaney is slated to open for the Rangers while Joe Mantiply will at least get the first inning for the D-backs.

After the game, when asked how he felt, Scherzer said he was in full spasm.

“It’s locked pretty good,” he said. “I’ve had spasms before. The way this goes is that tomorrow I’ll be sore. The second day will let you know where this is at. Either you start to show improvement or you’re in the same position. That’s the history for me with spasms. The 48-hour mark you know where this is going. Let’s see if the drugs kick in.”

Texas manager Bruce Bochy said he would know Scherzer’s status within 48 hours. That’s not much time with a possible four games and a Thursday travel day remaining on the schedule. Scherzer’s only chance at throwing again is a potential Game 7 Saturday night at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Tex.

This could be the end of a rough two-month period for Scherzer, who was traded to Texas in a deadline fire sale deal by the New York Mets.

Scherzer hurt a muscle in his right shoulder in September and battled to get back in the playoffs. He started two games against the Houston Astros in the American League Championship Series and wasn’t effective in either. Texas, now 9-0 on the road during these playoffs, won that series virtually without him in seven games. In Scherzer’s three postseason starts he threw a combined 9 2/3 innings and didn’t make it beyond the fourth inning in any of those games.

Calling Scherzer “a warrior,” Bochy said he wouldn’t count Scherzer out, though, for Game 7.

“He’s been working hard. It’s been frustrating for him,” Bochy said about Scherzer in an interview. “He never stops working. We didn’t even know if we would have him for the playoffs. Give him credit for how hard he’s worked to get here.”

Scherzer has played in three consecutive postseasons, and four of the last five, all for different teams. He has struggled in all of them with injury, fatigue or both.

During the 2019 World Series when he was pitching for the Washington Nationals against the Astros, he was pulled from an anticipated Game 5 start because of spasms in both his back and neck. He ultimately returned to start Game 7 and pitched five innings at Houston as Washington won the game and the series.

“It’s a similar feeling to that series in that you’re locked,” Scherzer said. “When it’s a neck, it’s even worse. But look at that. I was able to snap out of it in 72 hours. There’s history here that these spasms can go away quickly.”

This latest postseason game was a tough outing all the way around for Scherzer. To end the second inning, Diamondbacks’ Alek Thomas hit a ball right back at him that deflected off his left elbow. It bounced over to third baseman Josh Jung who threw Thomas out at first.

Scherzer said the incident and the back spasms were completely unrelated. He said when he was hit by the comebacker it was on the bone of the back of the elbow.

“You either break it, or your good, and I was good,” he said.

Scherzer went back out for the third and struck out Evan Longoria to open the inning. He walked Corbin Carroll with two outs and uncorked a wild pitch with Ketel Marte at the plate. It was at that juncture he knew he was in big trouble.

“Thank god I got Marte out,” Scherzer said.

The pitcher knew then his night was over. And now the Rangers’ season is hanging in the balance.

(This story has updated the headline.)

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