Veteran pitchers Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer will return to the Texas Rangers’ rotation later this week after both missed time due to injuries.
Rangers manager Bruce Bochy announced on Tuesday that deGrom is scheduled to pitch on Friday and Scherzer on Saturday. The Rangers are still in the race for an American League playoff spot, but they are six games behind for the final wild-card position.
“They might go for around five innings or 60 pitches, depending on how things are going,” Bochy said. “If all goes well, they might pitch a bit longer.”
DeGrom, 36, will make his season debut after missing more than a year following Tommy John surgery. He has had five consecutive seasons troubled by injuries.
His last game for the Rangers was on April 28, 2023, after signing a $185 million, five-year contract. He had surgery six weeks later.
Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, has been out for about six weeks due to a shoulder injury. He has also dealt with back surgery and a thumb injury. The 40-year-old has a record of 2-4 with a 3.89 ERA in eight starts this season.
The Rangers will also have top prospect Kumar Rocker start on Thursday. The 24-year-old, who was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2022 draft, will make his major league debut.
