Experienced pitchers Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer are set to return to the Texas Rangers’ rotation later this week
Veteran pitchers Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer will return to the Texas Rangers’ rotation later this week after both missed time due to injuries.
Rangers manager Bruce Bochy announced on Tuesday that deGrom is scheduled to pitch on Friday and Scherzer on Saturday. The Rangers are still in the race for an American League playoff spot, but they are six games behind for the final wild-card position.
“They might go for around five innings or 60 pitches, depending on how things are going,” Bochy said. “If all goes well, they might pitch a bit longer.”
DeGrom, 36, will make his season debut after missing more than a year following Tommy John surgery. He has had five consecutive seasons troubled by injuries.
His last game for the Rangers was on April 28, 2023, after signing a $185 million, five-year contract. He had surgery six weeks later.
Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, has been out for about six weeks due to a shoulder injury. He has also dealt with back surgery and a thumb injury. The 40-year-old has a record of 2-4 with a 3.89 ERA in eight starts this season.
The Rangers will also have top prospect Kumar Rocker start on Thursday. The 24-year-old, who was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2022 draft, will make his major league debut.
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The top 11 farm systems with the best pitching prospects
Good pitching can be hard to find — look at the flurry of activity at the Trade Deadline for evidence — so clubs that can develop talents on the mound themselves can get a considerable leg up on the competition.
Think of where the Phillies would be without homegrown talents Aaron Nola or Ranger Suárez this year. Think of the impact Paul Skenes and Jared Jones have had in Pittsburgh and what the arrival of Luis Gil (when healthy) has done for the rotation in the Bronx.
All organizations have their strengths and weaknesses. We’ve already covered the top organizations by infield and outfield talent. Here are the 11 farm systems (yes, we’re going Spinal Tap-style on this edition) most loaded with pitching right now.
1. Pittsburgh Pirates
No other team has as many Top 100 pitchers (three) as the Pirates, even with the graduations of Paul Skenes and Jared Jones. Bubba Chandler leads the way, and he and the other two (Braxton Ashcraft and Thomas Harrington) should impact the big leagues in 2025. They also have intriguing lefties in the top 10 in Hunter Barco and Anthony Solometo, and don’t forget 2024 draftee Levi Sterling, who has a huge ceiling.
2. Chicago White Sox
There aren’t many bright spots for the White Sox in the big leagues this season, though rookies Drew Thorpe and Jonathan Cannon have looked like viable starters for the future. More mound help is on the way, led by the two best lefty pitching prospects in baseball in Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith. Chicago has plenty of promising right-handers as well, including Jairo Iriarte, Grant Taylor and unheralded Mason Adams.
