Max Scherzer speaks on winning World Series with Rangers after Mets trade

Max Scherzer achieved his desire to win another World Series championship when he joined the Texas Rangers, whom he was traded to from the Mets before the trade deadline. This historic victory marked the first time the Rangers had ever won a World Series title. Despite knowing his teammates for less than three months, Scherzer was there to celebrate with them.

Following the Rangers’ series-clinching 5-0 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 5, Scherzer appeared as a guest on the FOX Sports postgame show. During the interview, he answered various questions about his experience with the Rangers.

The first question focused on Scherzer’s relationship with former player-turned-Rangers-GM, Chris Young. This question arose after FOX’s cameras captured the two exchanging congratulations and embracing in the locker room after the game. Scherzer highlighted Young’s enthusiasm for having him on the team, emphasizing the unique experience of having a former player as a GM. He expressed that Young’s presence in the clubhouse infused it with a different kind of energy, making the victory even more special given their shared competitive history.

Young orchestrated Scherzer’s move from the Mets in exchange for Luisangel Acuna, one of the Rangers’ top prospects.

Scherzer was brought in to fill the void left by Jacob deGrom, another top pitcher for the Mets, whose season ended prematurely due to an elbow injury requiring surgery. However, Scherzer’s performance with Texas in 2023 had its ups and downs.

Since the trade, Scherzer made eight regular-season starts for the Rangers, achieving a 4-2 record with a 3.20 ERA. Unfortunately, he suffered a shoulder injury in August, rendering him unable to participate in the remainder of the regular season.

Although Scherzer fought through his injuries to return for the playoffs, he was forced to exit Game 3 of the World Series after pitching three scoreless innings due to a back injury. Consequently, the Rangers had to remove the three-time Cy Young winner from their roster.

The Rangers faced significant adversity throughout the season and particularly in the postseason. They lost deGrom during the regular season, and both Scherzer and ALCS MVP Adolis Garcia suffered injuries during the World Series.

Despite these setbacks, Texas prevailed, and Scherzer attributes their success to the strength of the team’s roster.

Scherzer stated, “It was a collective effort from the entire team. Regardless of the challenges we faced, we always found a way to overcome them. Every player on the roster played their role, even when I had to step down in Game 3, Jon Gray delivered three scoreless innings, and Andrew Heaney made crucial outs. Winning a championship requires everyone to do their job.”

Having previously won a title with the 2019 Washington Nationals, Scherzer has now become a champion once again. He will continue his journey with the Texas Rangers next year after opting into the 2024 season. For the time being, the future Hall of Famer is savoring this moment.

Scherzer expressed, “This is an incredibly surreal moment with a whirlwind of emotions. So much has happened over the past month. Being the last team standing, there’s no feeling greater than this.”