Max Scherzer set to make season debut Sunday for Rangers against Royals

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer is scheduled to make his season debut Sunday for the Texas Rangers in a start against the Kansas City Royals.

Scherzer hasn’t pitched for the Rangers since Game 3 of the World Series last fall. He had offseason surgery to repair a herniated disk in his lower back, then experienced right thumb soreness during his rehab this season that team doctors later identified as a nerve issue extending to his right triceps.

His return for the Rangers comes in their first series after earlier this week hosting the New York Mets, the team that traded Scherzer to Texas last year.

Scherzer, who turns 40 on July 27, struck out 17 and had a 4.91 ERA in three rehab starts for Triple-A Round Rock. The first was on April 24, but he was then sidelined by the nerve issue until the other two, on June 9 and 15.

In his last rehab start, Scherzer struck out eight in 4 2/3 innings while allowing four hits and three runs. He threw 55 of his 79 pitches for strikes.

After the trade last summer, Scherzer was 4-2 with a 3.20 ERA in eight starts for Texas, the last in the regular season on Sept. 12 before being sidelined by a muscle strain in his shoulder. He returned to make two starts in the American League Championship Series, then Game 3 of the World Series before exiting after three innings because of his back.

His 3,367 strikeouts, 214 wins and 448 games started are all second among active pitchers, trailing only Justin Verlander in each of those categories.