Max Scherzer can’t shake the injury bug.
Shortly after the Rangers’ ALCS-clinching win over the Astros on Monday, the ex-Mets ace revealed he has a thumb issue that is ailing him.
“I feel good. My arm’s actually in a good spot. I’m not dealing with the strain anymore,” Scherzer told the Fox postgame team. “I got actually a little cut on my thumb that I’m actually dealing with. That’s actually more of a problem now.”
This comes on the heels of a muscle strain that sidelined Scherzer for the first two rounds of the MLB playoffs.
The 39-year-old has battled the past two seasons while attempting to fend off Father Time.
Although he started 27 games for the Rangers and Mets this year, Scherzer missed the final few weeks of the regular season, as well as the Rangers’ sweeps of the Rays and Orioles in the wild-card series and ALDS, respectively, due to an upper-arm strain.
The Rangers carried him on the roster for the ALCS and allowed him to make his first start since Sept. 12, in Game 3.
Scherzer, perhaps predictably, struggled in his return, allowing five runs in four innings in an 8-5 loss.
The Rangers gave him the ball again Monday in Game 7 but ended his night early after building an early lead.
Scherzer lasted just 2 ⅔ innings while allowing two runs.
“We got a great team,” Scherzer said.
The righty has posted a 9.45 ERA this postseason, surrendering seven runs on nine hits in 6 ⅔ innings.
He owns a 9.19 ERA over his last four playoff starts.
Scherzer and the Rangers await the winner of Game 7 of the NLCS between the Diamondbacks and Phillies, which gets underway in Philadelphia on Tuesday night.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner is seeking his second World Series ring after earning his first with the Nationals in 2019.
“You gotta want the ball in these situations,” Scherzer said. “When the time rises and pressure is on, all the chips are on the table, you got to want to be out there and you got to want to be in there and make big pitches in big situations.”
Game 1 of the World Series is set for Friday.
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