Rangers remove former Mets RHP Max Scherzer from World Series roster after suffering back injury
The Texas Rangers are up 2-1 in the 2023 World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, but they’ll be going the rest of the way without Max Scherzer.
Scherzer, whom the Rangers acquired from the Mets at the trade deadline, was removed from the World Series roster Tuesday after the right-hander left Game 3 of the Fall Classic on Monday with a back injury.
The 39-year-old started Monday’s game but exited in the fourth inning after dealing with back spasms. Scherzer pitched three scoreless innings before Jon Gray came in to relieve him following the injury.
The Rangers would go on to win 3-1.
“Max came in today, his back is in the same spot it was last night,” Rangers GM Chris Young told the media prior to Game 4. “Medical team has extreme concerns in terms of his ability to recover over the next few days that wouldn’t allow him to pitch in this series. So he’s been ruled out as well. If this were the regular season, they would both [Scherzer and Adolis Garcia] be ILs. We’re just in a point in time where we don’t have the time to wait these things out.”
Since being traded to the Rangers, Scherzer has had an up-and-down season. In eight regular-season starts, Scherzer went 4-2 with a 3.20 ERA. However, he suffered a shoulder injury in August that sidelined him for the rest of the regular season.
Scherzer did fight back to return by the ALCS. The veteran righty was In the ALCS and World Series, Scherzer made three starts for the Rangers. He was 0-1 with a 6.52 ERA, giving up seven runs in 9.2 innings.
The Rangers selected left-handed pitcher Brock Burke to replace Scherzer. The 27-year-old was 12-10 with a 3.68 ERA in 111 appearances (six starts) this season. He also appeared in one postseason game during the ALDS where he gave up two runs in 0.1 innings of work.
The Rangers also replaced Garcia on the roster. Garcia was the team’s ALCS MVP after he hit five home runs and drove in 15 RBI over the seven-game series against the Houston Astros. In the first three games of the World Series, Garcia was 3-for-10 including his walk-off homer in Game 1.
Garcia left Tuesday’s game with an oblique injury and he was replaced on the roster with utility-man Ezequiel Duran. Former Mets outfielder Travis Jankowski is starting in right field in Game 4 and could see more playing time with the Rangers’ slugger out.
