TORONTO — Inside his clubhouse locker, Max Scherzer’s teammates stacked cans of beer into a pyramid, one for each year of his life. His manager joked that the only suitable birthday gift would be a cane.
Scherzer is now the elder statesman of the team.
“I’m enjoying it, I’m just having fun with it,” Scherzer told The Dallas Morning News on Sunday at Rogers Centre before the Rangers’ 7-3 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. “I’m just lucky that I’ve been able to be healthy enough over the course of my career to even put myself in this position.”
Each of them is an icon of their generation of pitchers and still active. Scherzer recognizes how rare it is in an era where the careers of starting pitchers are shorter than ever.
“You just need so much good fortune to even have a chance,” Scherzer said. “Throwing a ball puts unnatural stress on the body, and it breaks down. I remember as a young guy thinking about pitching until I was 40. That was a goal, but it’s not just about talent. You have to be able to endure it.”
Since the Rangers acquired him from the New York Mets at last year’s trade deadline, Scherzer has faced several significant injuries, including a nerve issue in his right arm that delayed his recovery from offseason back surgery. He has had to confront the reality of his baseball longevity, as nerve issues can be particularly problematic.
He has managed to overcome these challenges, which is how he has reached this point and how he hopes to continue.
“For however long that continuation is,” Scherzer said, reflecting on his future.
“I’ve got some things going on in my life,” he added, mentioning his four children, including his daughter Brooke, who is now in first grade.
“I’m a full-time parent. But, for me right now, we’re doing well as a family. My body feels good, and I’m starting to pitch well. Hopefully, I can take it year by year, and there’s definitely a path for me to pitch next year.”