MAX SCHERZER HAS BACK SURGERY, WILL MISS START OF SEASON FOR RANGERS

Max Scherzer had surgery for a herniated disk in his lower back and will miss a significant portion of next season.

The 39-year-old right-hander, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, had surgery Thursday after injections and other less-invasive treatments didn’t relieve the pain. He is due $43,333,334 in the final season of a $130 million, three-year contract he signed with the New York Mets.

Scherzer, who was removed from the roster during the World Series because of back discomfort, had surgery Thursday, general manager Chris Young said Friday. Young said the team is hopeful Scherzer will be fully healed and recovered by June or July.

Scherzer said in a statement released by the team that the back pain got worse after he returned to his offseason home in Florida, and that he got the diagnosis of a herniated disk.

“Getting this procedure done now will give me the best chance to pitch as much as possible for the Rangers in 2024,” Scherzer said. “I look forward to putting in the rehab work and getting back on the mound next summer.”

Scherzer was limited to 23 starts in 2022 by a left oblique injury and 27 starts this season by neck spasms and a right teres muscle strain.

He was forced from his start in Game 3 of the World Series after three innings. He would have been in a line to start a potential Game 7, but was removed from the roster before Game 4 in Arizona, the night before the Rangers won their first World Series title by winning Game 5.

A trade-deadline acquisition from the Mets on July 30, Scherzer strained a muscle in his right shoulder on Sept. 12 and returned to make two starts in the AL Championship Series against Houston, going 0-1 with a 9.45 ERA. Scherzer allowed five runs over four innings and took the loss in Game 3, and then gave up two runs in 2 2/3 innings in a no-decision in Game 7.

“Obviously not the best news, but nonetheless we’re glad that we have a diagnosis and a solution,” Young said. “Max is recovering and feeling better already and we look forward to getting him healthy and back out there next summer.”