Bruce Bochy tentatively slated the inaugural appearance of Max Scherzer for the Texas Rangers on Thursday when they face the Chicago White Sox. Such an assignment, however, remains subject to change, as the Rangers have not yet disclosed the pitching probables for their upcoming home series commencing on Tuesday against the White Sox.
The Rangers, with a current record of 60-46, will enjoy an off-day on Monday, and during this respite, they anticipate Scherzer’s presence at Globe Life Field, where he will partake in a bullpen session. Given that Scherzer recently initiated a start on Friday, the bullpen session on Monday aligns with customary practice for the esteemed three-time Cy Young award winner, who was recently acquired in a trade on Saturday.
The matter of organizing the Rangers’ pitching rotation going forward will doubtlessly become a prominent topic of discussion on Monday. This fortuitous off-day affords Bochy and the coaching staff an opportunity to recalibrate the rotation, considering the addition of the new acquisitions.
With the recent acquisition of Jordan Montgomery on Sunday, the Rangers now possess an impressive pool of seven potential starting pitchers from which to select. This assortment excludes Nathan Eovaldi, who presently resides on the 15-day injured list.
Among the prospective candidates to start on Tuesday, either on regular or extended rest, are Jon Gray, whose last start took place on July 24, and Andrew Heaney, who last started on Wednesday. Montgomery, akin to Scherzer, last took the mound on Friday, implying that the left-handed pitcher could potentially make a start as early as Wednesday, adhering to the standard rest interval. Similarly, Dane Dunning could also considered for a Wednesday start, as that aligns with his customary starting day.
As for Martín Pérez, he pitched on Saturday in San Diego, thus positioning him for a potential start on Thursday, adhering to the regular rest period. Moreover, Cody Bradford, who made a notable spot start for the Rangers on Sunday, would be available for action on Friday.
The forthcoming decisions do not solely concern the selection of starters but also pertain to the Rangers’ strategy regarding surplus pitchers. Will the team contemplate transitioning to a six-man rotation? And which pitcher(s) will reassigned to the bullpen?
Given the arrival of new pitchers coupled with the advantageous off-day, the Rangers have a unique opportunity to evaluate their new assets and provide some much-needed respite to their beleaguered rotation.
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