In MLB, the most competitive league in the world, it’s a bit unusual to watch pitchers near or over 40 years old dominate and make it through the whole year healthy.
The New York Mets learned that the hard way in the last couple of seasons.
Now, the Texas Rangers are experiencing the same.
There are a lot of highs when you employ the likes of Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer.
However, they tend to get hurt often: deGrom is over 30 and with lingering health issues over the years, including Tommy John surgery he is currently rehabbing from.
Scherzer is 39 and has been starting to break down physically in the last two years.
He is an ace when healthy, though, with a 3.20 ERA as a Ranger this past season in 45 frames.
Still, the Rangers got some really bad news on Friday.
Max Scherzer is expected to be out until at least midseason. pic.twitter.com/1AJWxll9sD
— MLB (@MLB) December 15, 2023
The league’s official site says that Scherzer underwent back surgery to repair a herniated disc.
He is not expected to return before midseason at the earliest.
That’s a huge blow for the Rangers rotation, a unit that will also be without deGrom for at least a few months.
If they can stay afloat until July and then get back healthy versions of both aces, they could really make another World Series run.
However, those are big “ifs”.
The reigning World Series champs will find it tough to compete in the AL West without their top two starters, but they made it work for portions of the season and the start of the playoffs.
No matter how you slice this, it’s bad news for Rangers fans.
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