Max Scherzer Prefers 'Fun' in Playoff Race With Texas Rangers Over Mets Losing

Texas Rangers pitcher Max Scherzer returned to Citi Field, the stadium he called home for 2022 and into 2023 as a member of the New York Mets.

Scherzer and the Rangers limped into Queens for the series opener having dropped nine of 10 and falling out of first in the American League West. The Rangers rallied for a much-needed 4-3 win Monday night, improving to 74-57 and 2-1 since their eight-game losing streak.

When Scherzer joined the Rangers before the trade deadline, the club took off. Texas won its first eight games starting Aug. 1 and 12 of 14.

“I got traded over, and I never saw a team higher than high,” Scherzer told multiple media outlets Monday. “We won eight games. We were really beating people apart and all of sudden, we went through an eight-game losing streak.

“We were getting beaten apart. You are never as high as you think you are. You are never as low as you think you are. We are now at a point where we’ll see who we really are. Now we need to go out for the next 10 games and really play good baseball. We are in a division race and that’s fun.”

Scherzer was with a Mets team that was under.-500 and ownership told the 39-year-old pitcher that they would not be in position to contend in the next two seasons.

The Mets clubhouse thought otherwise.

“That was our wishful thinking,” Scherzer said. “We still believed that we could still find a way to get back into the ’23 playoff race. We didn’t think we were out of it. I get where our record was and where we’re at in the standings and how we were playing. I’m not oblivious. But in that clubhouse, we absolutely believed we had a team that could win.”

He admitted hearing that was a blow, but appreciated the honesty from owner Steve Cohen and that was part of the decision to waive his no-trade clause and join the Rangers. Scherzer also exercised his 2024 option to stay with Texas.

The Rangers continue their series with New York on Tuesday. Left-hander Andrew Heaney (9-6, 4.34) goes for Texas opposite left-hander José Quintana (1-5, 3.73). First pitch is 6:10 p.m.

You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.

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