Max Scherzer falters in crucial ALCS Game 3 start amidst Rangers injury crisis

Max Scherzer's return to pitching in the postseason turned into a nightmare as he allowed five runs in four innings.

Max Scherzer, the veteran pitcher for the Texas Rangers, expressed his excitement about pitching in the postseason, calling it a dream come true. However, his recent start in Game 3 of the ALCS against the Houston Astros turned into a nightmare. Scherzer, who returned from a shoulder injury, struggled on the mound, giving up five runs, including a home run, in just four innings.

The 39-year-old right-hander started off the game well, throwing a perfect first inning. However, he quickly ran into trouble in the second inning when he hit Yordan Alvarez with a pitch and issued a walk to Kyle Tucker. Mauricio Dubon then hit a single to left, putting Scherzer in a tough spot. Despite getting Jeremy Pena to pop up for the second out, Scherzer made a costly mistake by throwing a wild pitch that allowed Alvarez to score. On the very next pitch, Martin Maldonado hit a single to left, bringing home both runners. Although Maldonado was thrown out trying to extend the hit into a double, the damage was done.

In the third inning, Jose Altuve hit a solo home run, extending the Astros' lead to 4-0. Scherzer gave up another run in the fourth inning on a Dubon single. This performance was a far cry from Scherzer's previous playoff start, where he gave up seven runs and four homers in less than five innings.

Scherzer, who won the World Series in 2019, had a career playoff ERA of 3.58 before this start. He expressed his excitement about getting back on the mound after his injury, emphasizing the opportunity to pitch in the ALCS. However, his return did not go as planned.

Prior to this game, the Rangers had a perfect 7-0 record in the 2023 playoffs, making Scherzer's struggles even more disappointing.