Max Scherzer Prepares to Make First Pitch of 2021 After Back Surgery: A Closer Look at His Rehab Start

39-year-old Texas Rangers right-hander Max Scherzer is set to make a minor league rehab start on Wednesday night. This will be his first game action since undergoing back surgery during the offseason. The plan is for Scherzer to throw about 50 pitches against the Los Angeles Angels’ affiliate team, after throwing 40 pitches in a simulated game last Friday.

Scherzer joined the Rangers last summer as a trade-deadline acquisition and posted a 4-2 record with a 3.20 ERA in eight starts before missing the final two weeks of the regular season and the first two playoff rounds due to a strained muscle in his right shoulder. Despite feeling better initially, he later experienced nerve pain in his leg and received two epidural injections. Another MRI revealed the herniated disk that required surgery.

Rangers manager Bruce Bochy and Scherzer have confirmed the details of the rehab start. Scherzer underwent surgery on December 15 to repair a herniated disk in his lower back. This procedure followed his exit from Game 3 of the World Series due to back discomfort. An MRI conducted after the World Series victory showed inflammation in Scherzer’s back. With 3,367 career strikeouts, Scherzer leads all active pitchers by 21 strikeouts (more than Justin Verlander), and ranks second among active pitchers with 214 wins and 448 games started.