Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy described Max Scherzer’s status on Tuesday as being in a “holding pattern,” but with each passing day, the chances grow that Scherzer’s time with the team may be over.

Scherzer, 40, last pitched on July 30 at St. Louis and left the start after four innings with declining velocity and what was described as shoulder fatigue. Since then, his recovery has been on-again, off-again. He expected to miss one start, but need more time and ended up on the IL, was supposed to start last Friday for Double-A Frisco, then was scratched and was re-evaluated by team orthopedist Dr. Keith Meister this week. Bochy said Tuesday that nothing alarming was discovered during the evaluation, but Scherzer needed a “couple more days to see how he feels,” before resuming throwing.

Scherzer, however, has now missed four weeks, which means the throwing program involved would probably require more length and rehab. The Rangers were scheduled to play game No. 133 on Tuesday.

“I think we have to be honest,” Bochy said. “It is getting late in the season. This has been a setback. It’s going to take a while once he starts throwing. When we get back [to Texas], we need to see where he is at.”

The Rangers' Roster Situation

There are other factors in play, too. Namely, how many starts can the Rangers afford Scherzer? The focus of the season has changed. While they want to finish strong, they are going to activate Jack Leiter for Wednesday’s start and intend to give him some runway in September. Jacob deGrom, who was scheduled to make his second rehab start on Tuesday, could return to the rotation within 10 days and his starts will be of importance in putting elbow surgery recovery in his rear window. Cody Bradford, who figures to be a strong candidate for the 2025 rotation, has been limited to nine games (eight starts) by an early-season injury and only returned on July 30. In addition, the Rangers will continue to give Nathan Eovaldi regular starts.

Scherzer's Future With The Rangers

Also, the roster becomes an issue. While rosters can expand on Sept. 1, they can only expand by two players to 28. If the Rangers want to look at more players, they have to create more roster spots. If they were to move Scherzer to the 60-day IL, it would create an open roster spot, but it would rule him out for the remainder of the season.

The Rangers traded for Scherzer at last July’s deadline. He has made 16 regular-season starts for the club, compiling a 3.52 ERA in 84 1/3 innings. He also started three postseason games, allowing seven runs in 9 2/3 innings.

Scherzer's Impact On The Rangers

There is a big question mark about Scherzer’s future with the Rangers, and if he can return in time to have a meaningful impact on the team’s 2024 season. While the team is already looking ahead to 2025, Scherzer's presence could still be valuable in the final stretch of the season, even if he only pitches a few more games.

But, with other pitchers returning from injury and young players pushing for a spot, the Rangers may need to make some difficult decisions about their roster. If Scherzer's injury keeps him out for longer than expected, it could be the final nail in the coffin for his time in Texas.