Texas Rangers star Max Scherzer is aiming to return from shoulder fatigue and pitch before the season concludes. However, he will not be making his next scheduled start for the Rangers’ Double-A affiliate.

Scherzer was set to pitch for the Frisco RoughRiders on Friday but was unexpectedly removed from the assignment. There has been no official explanation for this decision, according to RangersToday reporter Jeff Wilson. It’s possible that Scherzer did not experience any setback and that the change might be influenced by the Rangers’ disappointing season.

The defending World Series champions have struggled this year, currently sitting third in the American League West, trailing behind the division-leading Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners. With a record of 59-69, Texas is 10 games behind the Astros in the division race.

The Rangers’ prospects in the Wild Card race are even less promising. They are 12.5 games behind the Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Royals for the second and third Wild Card spots and would need to surpass six teams to secure the final playoff position in the American League.

Max Scherzer has established himself as one of the most competitive and accomplished pitchers in the game. Over the course of his career, he has won the Cy Young Award three times and has been selected as an All-Star on eight occasions. Scherzer has also contributed to two World Series championship teams, including the 2019 Washington Nationals and the 2023 Texas Rangers.

At 40 years old, Scherzer continues to display remarkable intensity each time he takes the mound. Although his fastball remains effective, it is his skill in locating pitches and varying speeds that has been crucial to his sustained success in recent years.

In addition to the Rangers, Scherzer has played for several other teams, including the Arizona Diamondbacks, Detroit Tigers, Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Dodgers, and New York Mets.