ARLINGTON, Texas — Max Scherzer declared himself “ready to go” after throwing another bullpen session and doing fielding drills Friday, two days before the Texas Rangers open the AL Championship Series.
The Rangers haven’t said whether the three-time Cy Young Award winner will be on their ALCS roster, and that decision doesn’t have to be revealed until Sunday before Game 1 at Houston. Scherzer hasn’t pitched in a game since Sept. 12 because of a muscle strain in his shoulder.
“I feel good. Recovered, checked all of the boxes I possibly can,” Scherzer said during a workout at Globe Life Field before the team travelled to Houston. “So I’m ready to go.”
Texas manager Bruce Bochy, who didn’t speak with reporters on Friday, and pitching coach Mike Maddux have expressed being encouraged by the progress of Scherzer, who was a trade-deadline acquisition from the New York Mets.
The Rangers did announce left-hander Jordan Montgomery, another deadline acquisition, as their probable Game 1 starter against the Astros. Montgomery is 1-0 with a 3.27 ERA in his two starts this postseason, including Game 2 of the AL Division Series at Baltimore last Sunday.
After his bullpen session in full uniform, Scherzer fielded grounders up both lines at Globe Life, and also did a few plays covering first base.
“I do two days of PFP in the year, one day in spring training and one day before postseason,” Scherzer said with a grin, referring to pitchers’ fielding practice.
Scherzer said he was confident he would get batters out, and knew he would have to bring his A-game against the Astros. But he didn’t know how long he could go in a game.
“I can’t answer that question. It’s just going to be play it by ear,” Scherzer said. “I’ll just be in communication with Boch and Mad Dog (Maddux), and we’ll see how this shakes out. … We’ve had conversations, if I do feel something, I’ve got to come out of the game.”
The latest bullpen session followed a simulated game Wednesday, when Scherzer threw 68 pitches against hitters and had several up-and-down segments.
Maddux said Scherzer in that sim game earlier this week “maintained his stuff throughout all 68 (pitches). … He didn’t skip a beat from 1 to 68. That was the encouraging part. Need to sharpen up a little bit.”
Scherzer had also thrown to hitters last week before the AL Division Series.
“That was my first time on the mound facing hitters in a few weeks. You’re breaking through some cobwebs,” Scherzer said. “I got through those, got my arm in the right position. So then this sim game (Wednesday), that was kind of more like a rehab start and got stronger throughout my pitches. I felt like I was almost stronger at the end that I was at the beginning, so that’s kind of what you want to feel before you get into a start.”
Asked if he felt like he had more life on his fastball when facing hitters this week than last week, Scherzer said he wasn’t sure.
“That was actually kind of a weird sim game,” he said. “I usually don’t pitch hung over.”
That was the day after the Rangers had wrapped up the AL Division Series over Baltimore.
Scherzer, whose 3,367 strikeouts are the most among active pitchers, was 13-6 with a 3.77 ERA in 27 starts for the Mets and Rangers. He struck out 174 in 152 2/3 innings.
As part of the trade to Texas, Scherzer exercised his 2024 option at $43.33 million, most of which will be covered by Mets’ payments to the Rangers.
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