Rangers’ Max Scherzer exits Game 3 of D-backs’ World Series with back tightness
Oct 30, 2023, 6:25 PM | Updated: 10:36 pm
Texas Rangers starting pitcher Max Scherzer’s Game 3 outing against the Arizona Diamondbacks was cut short due to back tightness, the visiting team announced.
Scherzer came out of the dugout for the bottom of the fourth inning grimacing and trying to stretch his back out.
The pitcher proceeded to attempt a few warmup pitches before he was pulled by manager Bruce Bochy. It wasn’t immediately known if the batted ball that hit Scherzer during the second inning had anything to with the injury, per FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal.
Max Scherzer left tonight's game with back tightness pic.twitter.com/JQOP6WvlkC
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 31, 2023
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Scherzer exited with a 3-0 lead after three innings of work (36 pitches) and no hits allowed. He also walked a pair and struck out one.
“Max took a pretty good shot to the elbow,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy told reporters postgame. “That’s what we were concerned about, but it was his low back that tightened up on him and he just couldn’t go anymore. … We’ll see where he’s at the next 24 hours and decide where we’re at with him.”
Taking over for Scherzer was fellow Texas starter Jon Gray.
Gray, who could have been in the mix to start Game 4 of the World Series, entered the matchup with a pair of no-decisions in Game 3 of the ALCS and Game 1 of the World Series.
And while it’s a small sample size, the D-backs have found success against Gray in the postseason once before.
In Arizona’s 11-8 win over the Colorado Rockies in the 2017 National League Wild Card, Gray lasted just 1.1 innings, allowing four earned runs on seven hits. He struck out two.
His first inning of work on Monday night looked a lot better than the 2017 stat line behind a Gabriel Moreno strikeout, a Christian Walker groundout and Tommy Pham flyout.
Catch the rest of Game 3 between the D-backs and Rangers over on the Arizona Sports app, ArizonaSports.com or 98.7.
