Max Scherzer had a short outing on the mound for the Texas Rangers in the deciding game in the ALCS against the Houston Astros. The veteran starter only lasted 2.2 innings before he was taken off, limiting any extra damage against him.
The 8x All-Star put in some strong performances for the Rangers after getting traded but he was ruled out of action last month with a low-grade strain of his teres major muscle on his right shoulder. He was unexpected to return for the postseason but eventually did as the Rangers made it through to the ALCS.
His first start after returning in Game 3 of this series didn't go as planned, as he earned five runs in an 8-5 loss. Scherzer was still named as the starter for the deciding game by Bruce Bochy and the rest of the management.
In 2.2 innings, the 39-year-old earned two runs on four hits, walking two and striking out two batters. Scherzer looked jittery in the third having given a solo shot to Alex Bregman and a triple to Yordan Alvarez. One out later Bochy took the ball from him giving him a shorter outing than what most expected.
Fans took to X, formerly Twitter, to voice their opinions about Scherzer. The general opinion is they expected more from such a big name like him.
Max Scherzer will be satisfied with his season after horrific start
Max Scherzer's season is ending quite differently from what he had expected at the beginning. The 3x Cy Young award winner was a feature in the New York Mets rotation. But the Mets lost their way and needed to shell some of the major names with big contracts on their payroll. This included Scherzer who made his way to the Rangers in the trade deadline.
With the Rangers looking firm to win Game 7 on the road at Minute Maid Park, it's almost certain that Scherzer will be returning to the World Series after four years.