Max Scherzer's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings

Texas Rangers right-hander Max Scherzer (back) could now be ready in early May despite initial evaluations placing his likely return around June or July, and his first minor-league rehab start could potentially come as early as next week. Scherzer threw 25 pitches of live batting practice at Comerica Park on Monday and said the next step is throwing 40 pitches on Friday. The 39-year-old future Hall of Famer had surgery to fix a herniated disc in his back on Dec. 15. General manager Chris Young said Scherzer attempted several "conservative treatments in pain management," including an epidural, but the pain never went away, which is why he had offseason surgery. Scherzer probably isn't going to be a fantasy ace any more, but he's still plenty capable of delivering a dominant outing every now and then if he can remain healthy after he returns from his back injury.

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Max Scherzer (back) threw a bullpen session without any issues on Tuesday. The plan is for Scherzer to progress to facing live hitters in a batting practice session next week. The 39-year-old remains without a timetable to return, but the expectation is that Scherzer is back before the start of June. That being said, Scherzer is worth stashing in deeper mixed leagues while he continues to make progress in his recovery from back surgery.

Texas Rangers right-hander Max Scherzer (back) threw a bullpen session on Tuesday. He said his arm is feeling good and described this period as "early February" for him if he didn't have the rehab for his back injury. Scherzer said there are still hurdles to jump through, but he said he respects the process of the rehab he's currently going through. The 39-year-old future Hall of Famer underwent back surgery in December to fix a herniated disc in his back, which is why he's not ready for the start of the 2024 regular season. The Rangers don't have plans to put Scherzer on the 60-day injured list, which means that he could make his return to Texas' rotation before the end of May. That would be a best-case scenario. While Scherzer can still be an asset in fantasy, his days of being an ace are likely behind him at this point, especially coming off injury.

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Max Scherzer (back) continues making progress from his offseason back surgery and was able to play catch on Wednesday. The veteran right-hander won't be ready for Opening Day, but might not miss too much time. Rangers manager Chris Young doesn't believe that Scherzer will need to be placed on the 60-day injured list. Instead, Young suggested that Scherzer could be back as early as May. The Rangers are likely going to be cautious with the 39-year-old. His injury might push him back into the later rounds of fantasy drafts.

Texas Rangers right-hander Max Scherzer (back), who had surgery on Dec. 15 on his back for a herniated disc that shut him down late last season, has been cleared for baseball activities around the 13-week mark since surgery. June remains the target date for the Rangers, although Scherzer doesn't fully see it that way. In eight starts for Texas in 2023 after being traded from the Mets, he went 4-2 with a 3.20 ERA, but he missed the final six weeks of the regular season due to a muscle strain in his right shoulder. The 39-year-old future Hall of Famer isn't targeting any specific date to make his 2024 debut, and the reality is he could miss all of the first half of the season. Scherzer can still contribute in fantasy when he's healthy, but the fact that he could miss the first half drastically reduces his fantasy value in upcoming drafts.