Max Scherzer’s season is done.
The 39-year-old is being shut down for the remainder of the regular season and is “unlikely” for the postseason, Rangers general manager Chris Young told reporters on Wednesday.
The former Mets pitcher suffered a low-grade strain of his teres major muscle.
The injury won’t require surgery, Young added.
Scherzer left his start on Tuesday night in the sixth inning after he appeared to be in discomfort in what was originally described as a triceps spasm.
Blue Jays outfielder George Springer hit a bouncing comebacker right to Scherzer that forced the hurler to distort his body to try and get out of the way.
Then, on the next pitch with Bo Bichette at the plate, Scherzer appeared to grimace on a follow-through.
Scherzer tried to stay in the game, but when a trainer came out and wanted to see him throw some warmup pitches, he could not.
“When I threw that first curveball to Bichette, it just felt like a charley horse,” Scherzer told reporters after the game.
“When I got on the mound and was trying to go through my motion, I could just tell it didn’t release,” Scherzer said. “I could feel I just wasn’t going to be able to throw another baseball.”
Ironically, the teres major strain is the same injury his former Mets teammate, Justin Verlander, suffered from this spring.
It is a major blow to the Rangers, who are in the midst of a tight playoff race in the American League.
They trail the Houston Astros by a game for the West division lead and are trying to fight off the Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners in the wild card race, sitting a 1/2 game up on both for the second spot entering Wednesday’s slate.
Texas acquired Scherzer from the Mets before the trade deadline in exchange for prospect Luisangel Acuña.
After arriving in the Lone Star State, Scherzer recorded a 3.20 ERA while striking out 53 batters over 45 innings.
Scherzer exercised his player option and will be back with the Rangers in 2024.
The decision to unload Scherzer stemmed from a change in direction by the Mets as they looked toward improving their prospect pool and positioning themselves to compete in future years.
Since joining the Mets organization, Acuña has batted .260 in Double-A Binghamton and hit two home runs.