Injuries & Moves: Updates on Scherzer, Gray, Bradford, Mahle
LATEST NEWS
June 2: RHP Max Scherzer continues to progress after bullpen
Scherzer threw around 25 pitches in a bullpen on Saturday before Texas’ 7-0 win over the Marlins. When he walked into the clubhouse Sunday morning, he gave two thumbs-up because he was able to throw without nerve pain. Depending on how his body recovers and conversations with the trainers, manager Bruce Bochy said Scherzer could potentially face live hitters on Monday.
“That’s completely determined on how I recover,” Scherzer said. “I feel great, finally turning the corner on this. … The check engine light just won’t go off, there’s something wrong with the engine, but we addressed it and now everything is firing on all cylinders.”
The righty was transferred to the 60-day IL on May 15 after experiencing nerve pain in his right triceps and forearm.
10-DAY/15-DAY INJURED LIST
RHP Jon Gray (mild right groin strain)
Expected return: Early June
Gray is scheduled to face live hitters on Monday. He was not expected to miss much more than the minimum 15 days after leaving his most recent start against the Phillies on May 21 and then being placed on the injured list two days later. The big right-hander has a stellar 2.21 ERA through the first two months of the season. (Last updated: June 2)
OF Evan Carter (lower back soreness)
Expected return: Mid-June
Carter missed seven games from May 11-17 with back soreness, but returned without an IL stint initially. He missed time in the Minors with a stress fracture in his back in 2021, so the Rangers have been cautious with him.
Manager Bruce Bochy believes that the injury has been bothering Carter more than he let on, and that’s affected his performance at the plate, where he hit just .095/.156/.143 over his last 15 games.
Bochy said they do not believe he’ll need more than the 10 days, but it will be good for the 21-year-old to reset at the plate. (Last updated: May 28)
RHP Josh Sborz (right rotator cuff strain)
Expected return: TBD
Sborz exited Game 2 of a doubleheader against the A’s on May 8 with right shoulder tightness after throwing eight pitches, seven of which were balls. His velocity was down 3-4 mph across all of his pitches as well. The right-hander already spent time on the IL earlier this season with a right rotator cuff strain. (Last updated: May 10)
60-DAY INJURED LIST
RHP Max Scherzer (herniated disk and right thumb soreness)
Expected return: TBD
Scherzer threw a short bullpen (about 25 pitches) on June 2 and said he was able to throw without nerve pain and depending on his recovery could face live hitters next week.
The Rangers transferred Scherzer from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on May 15; with Scherzer already nearing 50 days on the IL, the move gives the club another spot on the 40-man roster and doesn’t delay Scherzer’s return any more than expected at this point. He would be allowed to rejoin the club on May 27, though that appears extremely unlikely.
On May 15, Scherzer said he had been experiencing nerve pain in his right triceps and forearm. He said he had received injections to “calm” the nerve inflammation. (Last updated: June 2)
LHP Cody Bradford (lower back strain/stress fracture on rib)
Expected return: June
Bradford threw on flat ground on June 2. He originally landed on the injured list with a lower back strain after he was unable to throw a bullpen between starts. The original plan was for him to miss the minimum 15 days, but after further evaluations, doctors found a “very small” stress fracture on the 12th rib on the right side, according to manager Bruce Bochy.
The 26-year-old lefty had been Texas' best starter on the young season, having gone 3-0 with a 1.40 ERA over his first three starts.
Bochy said that while Bradford’s recovery has been a little slower than expected, the southpaw is starting to get over the hump. (Last updated: June 2)
RHP Tyler Mahle (right UCL repair surgery)
Expected return: Late July
Mahle is scheduled to face live hitters on June 3. He started throwing in mid-January after undergoing Tommy John surgery when he was with the Twins last May. The Rangers signed Mahle to a two-year, $22 million deal this offseason.
The injury ruined a promising 2023 season with Minnesota, as Mahle posted a 3.16 ERA with 28 strikeouts over five starts. Mahle was officially moved to the 60-day IL at the start of the regular season. (Last updated: June 2)
3B Josh Jung (right wrist fracture)
Expected return: Late June
After a brief visit back to Arizona with specialist Donald Sheridan, Jung was cleared to begin swinging off a tee with a lighter bat. He said it is an underload bat, which is the same length as a regular bat but lighter, similar to a fungo. Manager Bruce Bochy said he watched Jung’s cage work and he “looks great.”
Rangers general manager Chris Young said Jung had successful surgery on his fractured wrist on April 2, but when the surgeon went in for the procedure, Jung's wrist revealed a bit more extensive damage than they were hoping. While the initial timeline after X-rays showed around six weeks of recovery time, after surgery, Jung is looking closer to between eight and 10 weeks, Young said. Jung was transferred to the 60-day IL on April 8.
Jung was removed from the Rangers’ 9-3 win over the Rays on April 1 at Tropicana Field after being hit by a pitch on his right hand as he swung at it. Manager Bruce Bochy said postgame that scans quickly revealed a fractured wrist. Jung missed six weeks last season with a fractured left thumb. In his first four games of 2024, Jung went 7-for-17 with two walks, one double, one triple and two homers. (Last updated: May 29)
RHP Austin Pruitt (right knee medial meniscus injury)
Expected return: TBD
In another blow to the Rangers' bullpen depth, Pruitt landed on the injured list after being evaluated at the beginning of the club’s nine-game homestand that started on April 23. He has posted a 12.46 ERA across four relief appearances for Texas this season.
Pruitt was transferred to the 60-day injured list on May 21. (Last updated: May 21)
LHP Brock Burke (broken right hand)
Expected return: TBA
Burke broke his non-throwing hand on April 12 following a rough outing against the Astros in which he allowed four runs in two-thirds of an inning. He punched a wall in frustration after he was removed from the game, according to manager Bruce Bochy.
“It was a bit of frustration,” Bochy said. “We wanted our guys to be competitive. But with that passion, there's a fine edge. When you cross that line, there's going to be consequences.”
The Rangers’ Rookie of the Year as voted on by the DFW chapter of the BBWAA in 2022, Burke has struggled over the past year. After a ‘22 season in which he posted a 1.97 ERA over 82 1/3 innings, he followed with a 4.37 ERA in 59 2/3 innings in ‘23. Over his first five relief appearances this season, he struggled to the tune of a 15.00 ERA. He was moved to the 60-day IL on April 18. (Last updated: April 18)
INF Justin Foscue (left oblique strain)
Expected return: TBD
Foscue, who collected his first MLB hit and RBI in the Rangers’ loss to the Astros on April 7, felt something during that swing and was evaluated the following day. The training staff is still evaluating the severity of the injury. He was transferred to the 60-day IL on April 13. (Last updated: April 13)
RHP Jacob deGrom (right UCL repair surgery)
Expected return: After the All-Star break
deGrom began playing catch on Feb. 12 and resumed again on the first official day of workouts on Feb. 14 -- just under eight months after the surgery to repair a torn right UCL that ended his 2023 season. It was the second similar operation for the 35-year-old deGrom, who had Tommy John surgery following his first professional season in 2010.
General manager Chris Young pointed out that timelines are fluid when it comes to injuries, but he also said the ace is progressing well in his rehab with an eye on returning around August.
deGrom was officially transferred to the 60-day injured list on March 22. (Last updated: March 22)
RHP Carson Coleman (Tommy John surgery)
Expected return: July
Coleman was selected by the Rangers in the 2023 Rule 5 Draft from the Yankees. He did not pitch in 2023 while recovering from Tommy John surgery. In 2022, Coleman was named the Eastern League “Reliever of the Year” after going 2-3 with 15 saves and a 2.86 ERA across 35 relief appearances for Double-A Somerset. (Last updated: March 9)