ARLINGTON — Max Scherzer’s gradual return to form after his initial outing for the Texas Rangers in June has shown promising signs of progress, particularly after his third start this Thursday. Following the Rangers’ 3-1 defeat to the San Diego Padres, Scherzer opened up about the current state of his health, marking a significant turn from the cautious tone he previously expressed.

In June, following his first game since joining the Rangers, Scherzer had voiced concerns about a persistent nerve issue in his throwing arm. The ailment cast uncertainty over his continued performance ability, especially after a daunting five-inning run.

However, the narrative was quite different after Thursday’s game. Scherzer seemed genuinely optimistic about his arm’s recovery, sharing, “Physically, I’m definitely better.

My arm felt better… From a physical standpoint, I’m really doing well, and that’s encouraging coming out of this start.”

Against the Padres, the celebrated pitcher managed a season-high of 90 pitches and appeared sturdy through to the seventh inning, when an out forced his relief. He chalked up what he termed his first “quality start” of the season, allowing three runs on six hits with one walk.

His performance contributed to a 2.70 ERA with 11 strikeouts across three games, suggesting notable improvement. Reflecting on his recovery process, he remarked, “I’m recovering well, so I should be good to go in five days and able to check that box.

That’s the good.”

While assessing his pitching performance, Scherzer admitted, “I pitched good today, I didn’t pitch great,” attributing the narrow loss to a couple of critical pitches. Nevertheless, he credited the Padres for their strong playing, saying, “I tip my cap to them; they’re a great team. I made some good pitches, but I didn’t make enough of them to win the game.”

The Rangers’ defense, especially left fielder Wyatt Langford, drew high praise from Scherzer. Langford’s standout moments included a robbed potential two-run homer and a crucial throw to oust a runner at home.

Third baseman Josh Smith also made a notable play, making a challenging basket catch in shallow left field. Scherzer lauded these defensive efforts, remarking, “Defensively, we’re doing some good things, and that’s encouraging…

When you play great skills defensively, you always give your team a chance to win.”

Scherzer’s gradual return to his peak physical condition coupled with the burgeoning synergy on the field signals a promising season for the Rangers if the trends hold.