Rangers' Max Scherzer says he can still pitch at a high level despite recent injury history

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Three-time Cy Young Award winner and active strikeout leader Max Scherzer, who has started only once for the Texas Rangers since turning 40 last month, threw a 25-pitch bullpen session Friday and said his injuries this season haven't made him reconsider whether he wants to keep pitching. "I've been able to go out there and compete, but I haven't been fully myself," Scherzer said after the bullpen, his first since going on the 15-day injured list two weeks ago because of shoulder fatigue. "When I've been out there competing, I still feel I can pitch at a high level. There are still things I can do with the baseball that I can pitch at a high level with." Scherzer (2-4, 3.89 ERA) expects to throw a longer bullpen Sunday, but said he felt good after ramping back up on the mound. He and the Rangers will decide after that whether he needs more work or is ready for a return to the rotation. "He had a good day down there," Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. "He used everything, all his pitches, and he was letting it go. It was a good day for him." Scherzer has made only eight starts since his season debut June 23 following offseason back surgery and then dealing with a nerve issue in his arm. In his last home start July 25, two days before this 40th birthday, Scherzer allowed one run and struck out nine over six innings against the Chicago White Sox. He passed fellow three-time Cy Young winner Justin Verlander for 10th on the strikeout list and took the top spot among active pitchers with 3,405. Then on July 30, the right-hander allowed three runs in four innings at St. Louis before leaving after 68 pitches. He was placed on the IL on Aug. 2, with the move retroactive to the day after his last start. Scherzer is second behind Verlander among active pitchers with 456 games started and 2,874 innings pitched over 17 seasons. Still, Scherzer said his issue this year was trying to return in the middle of a season. "My shoulder, my arm for the most part, feels really good," Scherzer said. "I was trying basically to do spring training in the middle of the season. Never done that before. ... I guess I was kind of flying blind and trying to understand what I can and can't do. And, you know, my arm got a little overextended in that process. And so like, OK, learn from it and move on, and build back up and let's get ready to go." Bochy said Scherzer is physically in a good spot. The Rangers acquired Scherzer from the Mets in a deadline trade last summer after the pitcher agreed to opt in on the final year of his contract for this season at $43.3 million — with New York paying $30.83 million of that to Texas. Scherzer was limited to 23 starts in 2022 by a left oblique injury and 27 starts last year by neck spasms and a right teres muscle strain. He still made three postseason starts for the Rangers on their way to their first World Series title, including games in the AL Championship Series, and Game 3 against Arizona before exiting after three innings because of back tightness.