Max Scherzer’s 2024 season is over
Texas Rangers pitcher Max Scherzer has been placed on the 15 day injured list with a hamstring strain, the team announced today. Taking his place is pitcher Gerson Garabito, who has been recalled from AAA Round Rock after being optioned yesterday.
Unfortunate news for Scherzer, who returned to the majors on September 14 with a four inning start against the Seattle Mariners, and who was hoping to make another start or two before the season ended. Instead, the 40 year old will finish the season on the injured list. For the year he put up a 3.95 ERA and 4.18 FIP in 43.1 innings over nine starts.
When Scherzer has been able to pitch, he’s pitched effectively this year. The problem is that he has battled his body all season, and at this point, one wonders if Scherzer is going to hang it up rather than risk going through a similar scenario next year.
If this is it for Scherzer, he would end his career with a 216-112 record and a 3.16 ERA in 2878 innings, with 3407 career strikeouts and 74.5 bWAR. Schezer had a nine year run from 2013-21 where he won the Cy Young Award three times, finished second once, finished third twice, and finished fifth twice. He put up a 53.9 bWAR over that period of time, in what is one of the more dominant runs we’ve seen from a starting pitcher in recent years.