What's Texas Rangers Rotation with Max Scherzer?
Now that Max Scherzer is joining the Texas Rangers rotation, what exactly will be the rotation?
Since the trade with the New York Mets hasn’t officially been announced by either club, mum is the word … for now. Rangers manager Bruce Bochy declined comment when asked about Scherzer after Saturday night’s 4-0 loss at the San Diego Padres.
Bochy did, however, address the rotation before the game, making his feelings know that Texas starters haven’t been up to snuff lately.
“We need to improve as a starting rotation, that’s fair to say,” Bochy said, according to MLB.com. “I like this rotation, but we need to get back to who we were early in the season, and that’s throwing quality strikes and cutting back on the walks and those things. And with all that, we’ve got to get healthy.
“I think every team goes through it. You have your good runs and you have your rough runs. That goes with the pitching and the hitting.”
The Rangers are in a rough run right now. The ERA for the starting rotation is a tick above 4.50 for the last two months.
Nathan Eovaldi, who’s moved into the ace role with the loss of Jacob deGrom, is dealing with elbow soreness and has missed his last two scheduled starts, including Sunday against San Diego. Eovaldi, who went on the injured list Sunday, should lead the rotation along with Scherzer once he returns.
Dane Dunning and Jon Gray have both been solid and figure to slot behind the two co-aces. Here’s where it gets tricky. Martín Pérez has struggled throughout July, with his ERA nudging up to a season-high 4.98. Andrew Heaney hasn’t pitching at least six innings in a start since April.
Heaney has thrown 101 1/3 innings – nearly 30 more than the 72 2/3 innings last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Though primarily a starter throughout his career, Heaney did make seven relief appearances for the New York Yankees in 2021.
The Rangers could go with a rotation of Eovaldi, Scherzer, Gray, Dunning and Pérez. Heaney would give Texas another quality arm for a beleaguered bullpen. Dunning, it should be noted, also started the season in relief before deGrom was lost.
Of course, the Rangers are expected to remain active before Tuesday’s trade deadline. More pitching help could be on its way, and perhaps another bat.
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