(Toronto) Texas Rangers right-hander Max Scherzer will not pitch for the season due to a strained right shoulder muscle, the team announced Wednesday.
General manager Chris Young added that Scherzer was unlikely to pitch in the playoffs if the Rangers qualified.
The 39-year-old three-time Cy Young Award winner left Tuesday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays in the sixth inning. He had allowed three hits and a walk in addition to striking out two batters in five and a third innings.
He collected the victory in this game which saw the Rangers ahead of the Jays in the race for teams drafted in the American.
Surgery will not be necessary. His state of health will be re-evaluated in two weeks. He finished the season with an 11-6 record and a 3.77 ERA in 27 starts with the Rangers and New York Mets. He had 174 strikeouts in 152 2/3 innings.
The Rangers recalled right-hander Jonathan Hernandez from their AAA farm club to replace him in the lineup.