Texas Rangers right-hander and future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer has a cut on his pitching thumb, though he does not expect it to affect him while pitching in the World Series against the Diamondbacks. Scherzer suggested the cut could be result of the layoff from his recent shoulder injury, which allowed the calluses on his fingers to soften. His thumb was bloody as he exited Game 7 of the Championship Series.
"It's just a cut. I can wear a bandage, throw a bullpen on it. The pain of it, I can pitch through that. That's not the problem. It's just it would get bloody," Scherzer told the Associated Press on Thursday. "... It's almost like the month off, the skin on top of the thumb, which is typically maybe a little more calloused, went away. Now, when you come back, it's soft and now it got cut."
On Sept. 12, Scherzer suffered a strain to his right teres major muscle, which is near the shoulder. At the time GM Chris Young said it was "unlikely" Scherzer would be able to pitch in the postseason, but he returned ahead of schedule, and joined the rotation in the Championship Series. He did not pitch well, however. Scherzer allowed seven runs in 6 2/3 innings in two starts.
The Rangers acquired Scherzer from the New York Mets at the trade deadline and he was quite good with Texas prior to his injury. He posted a 3.20 ERA in eight starts and three times he went seven innings with no more than one run allowed. On two other occasions Scherzer threw at least 5 1/3 scoreless innings. Perhaps his Championship Series struggles were related to rust.
Nathan Eovaldi will start Game 1 on Friday and Jordan Montgomery is likely to start Game 2 on Saturday. Scherzer started Game 3 of the Championship Series behind those two and is expected to do the same in the World Series. The Rangers have Dane Dunning and Martín Pérez available to throw multiple innings out of the bullpen, if necessary. Andrew Heaney and Jon Gray as well.
Texas eliminated the in-state rival and defending World Series champion Houston Astros in seven games in the Championship Series. They will take on the Arizona Diamondbacks when the World Series begins Friday night at Globe Life Field.