Will Houston Astros See Texas Rangers Ace in NLCS?

The Houston Astros have until Sunday to prepare for Game 1 of the American League Championship Series against the Texas Rangers. Neither team has to submit their final roster for the series until Sunday morning.

But, the Astros will likely be keeping a watchful eye on one particular Rangers pitcher — Max Scherzer.

Scherzer hasn’t pitched since he left a start against Toronto on Sept. 12 with what turned out to be a strained teres major muscle. It’s an injury that is supposed to keep one out for eight to 12 weeks.

Well, on Wednesday at Globe Life Field in Arlington Scherzer threw a 60-pitch simulated game, perhaps his longest outing since the injury.

Without him the Rangers have won five straight postseason games to reach the ALCS for the first time since 2011. But, with him? The Rangers could add to a starting arsenal that includes Jordan Montgomery, Nathan Eovaldi, Andrew Heaney and Dane Dunning.

But, will Scherzer make the roster? Rangers manager Bruce Bochy wouldn’t commit on Thursday, but he likes the progress the former Cy Young winner is making.

“We have to be really encouraged with how he threw the ball and how he feels,” Bochy said. “So we’ll check on him as he gets his treatment and see where he’s at.”

Scherzer wasn’t available to the media during Thursday’s workout. But, during the team’s celebration on Tuesday, Scherzer said he was hoping the postseason would continue so he could just get “a chance” to return to the mound.

“Let me get back into this thing,” Scherzer said. “I’ve been grinding away, just doing everything I can to just be in a position to have a chance. The guys going out there and provide that chance, so I gotta go out there and still do my work and hopefully we’ll be ready for next time.”

Scherzer was 4-2 with a 3.20 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 45 innings since joining the Rangers via a trade on Aug. 1. Scherzer is 7-7 with one save in 27 postseason appearances, with a 3.58 ERA and 164 strikeouts in 133 1/3 innings.

Bochy said that how Scherzer recovers from the simulated game may be the biggest key to whether he is activated for the ALCS or not.

But, if Scherzer does return, Bochy indicated it would likely be as a starter.

While the Rangers haven’t named their Game 1 starter, the Astros are pointed toward starting Justin Verlander — Scherzer’s former teammate in both Detroit and with the New York Mets — in Game 1 on Sunday.

2023 ALCS schedule

Game 1: Sunday: Texas at Houston, 7:15 p.m. (Fox)

Game 2: Monday: Texas at Houston, 3:37 p.m. (Fox or FS1)

Game 3: Wednesday: Houston at Texas, 7:03 p.m. (FS1)

Game 4: Thursday: Houston at Texas, 7:03 p.m. (FS1)

Game 5*: Friday: Houston at Texas, 4:07 p.m. (FS1)

Game 6*: Sunday, Oct. 22: Texas at Houston, 7:03 p.m. (FS1)

Game 7*: Monday, Oct. 23: Texas at Houston, 7:03 p.m. (Fox/FS1)

*If necessary