The Texas Rangers’ long ALCS drought is over, and Max Scherzer has been on both ends of it.
Texas completed an impressive sweep of the Baltimore Orioles in the ALDS with an 8-1 victory on Tuesday. The win puts the Rangers in the ALCS for the first time since 2011.
The @Rangers sweep their way to the #ALCS. 🔥
(MLB x @BudweiserUSA) pic.twitter.com/8iB8w1Kgx9
— MLB (@MLB) October 11, 2023
Jon Morosi of MLB Network shared a wild fact about the Rangers’ victory. He noted that the last ALCS game Texas played was on Oct. 15, 2011. The losing pitcher that night was none other than current Rangers pitcher Max Scherzer, who was in his second season with the Detroit Tigers at the time.
The Rangers' most recent ALCS game was Oct. 15, 2011.
The losing pitcher that night? Max Scherzer, then in his 2nd season with the Tigers. @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) October 11, 2023
Scherzer was 27 years old then and had yet to win any of his three Cy Young Awards, make any of his eight career All-Star teams, or get his World Series ring (which he did with the Washington Nationals in 2019). But now at 39 years old, Scherzer has a chance to reach the mountaintop once again, this time with the very same team that ended his season way back in 2011.
Of course, Scherzer is battling a shoulder injury and did not pitch at all in the ALDS against Baltimore. But the signs are looking promising for a near-term return, and now Scherzer and the Rangers will await the winner of the Houston Astros-Minnesota Twins series next.
