The Texas Rangers will send Max Scherzer to the mound for Game 7 of the American League Championship Series against the Houston Astros.
Scherzer returned from a long layoff last week, but allowed five runs and couldn’t complete five innings.
This time, he will be looking to keep his team in the game and shut down one of baseball’s best and deepest lineups.
Scherzer has been in this situation before, though, and has a good 3.80 postseason ERA for his career.
He came over to Texas from the New York Mets on a deadline deal that saw prospect Luisangel Acuna go the other way.
To get their hands on such a prized prospect, however, the Mets had to cover a lot of Scherzer’s salary for 2023 and 2024.
Some would say this is a “legacy” game for Scherzer and one that will help determine who won the trade between the Mets and the Rangers.
“Max Scherzer is officially lined up to pitch Game 7 tomorrow night in Houston. It’s a legacy game, without a doubt — both for Scherzer, and for the trade that sent him to Texas,” Mets insider Anthony DiComo tweeted.
Max Scherzer is officially lined up to pitch Game 7 tomorrow night in Houston.
It’s a legacy game, without a doubt — both for Scherzer, and for the trade that sent him to Texas.
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) October 23, 2023
If Scherzer pitches a gem, some Mets fans might feel like he still has a lot to give next year and could have been a major piece of the rotation as the team tried to get back in contention.
If he struggles, it could serve as peace of mind for some of the most intense Mets fans.
They want to feel like they won the trade by bringing in Acuna, who had nine home runs and 57 stolen bases between the Mets and Rangers’ Double-A teams this year.
For better or for worse, everyone will be watching Scherzer on Monday night.
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