Max Scherzer Prepares for Major League Return with Triple-A Start on Wednesday Night

Max Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young Award winner and eight-time All-Star, is set to make a minor league rehab start Wednesday night. The 39-year-old Texas Rangers right-hander underwent back surgery during the offseason and has not thrown any game action since then.

On December 15th, Scherzer had surgery to repair a herniated disk in his lower back. He was forced to leave his start in Game 3 of the World Series after three innings due to discomfort in his back. An MRI after the Rangers won the World Series revealed inflammation in Scherzer’s back, which led him to experience nerve pain in his leg. After two epidural injections, another MRI showed that he had a herniated disk.

Scherzer was acquired by the Rangers in a trade deadline deal last summer. In eight starts before missing the last two weeks of the regular season and the first two rounds of the playoffs due to a strained muscle in his right shoulder, he had a record of 4-2 with a 3.20 ERA. His 3,367 career strikeouts are currently the most among active pitchers, just 21 more than Justin Verlander. Scherzer ranks second on the list of active pitchers with 214 wins and 448 games started.

In preparation for his return to action, Scherzer threw a simulated game last Friday and threw 40 pitches. On Wednesday night, he is scheduled to start for Triple-A Round Rock at home against Salt Lake, throwing around 50 pitches against the Los Angeles Angels’ affiliate team.