Texas
Scherzer on joining Rangers: ‘Best place for me’
n”,”providerName”:”Twitter”,”providerUrl”:”https://twitter.com”,”type”:”oembed”,”width”:550,”contentType”:”rich”},{“__typename”:”Markdown”,”content”:”Whether this is who Scherzer is now or not has yet to be seen. But the right-hander brings a lot to this team and this rotation, both on and off the field. He’s here to help Texas win, while joining a rotation that now includes Nathan Eovaldi, Jordan Montgomery and Jon Gray.nnScherzer has won Cy Youngs — three, to be exact. He’s won a World Series with Washington in 2019. On top of that, he’s got 133 1/3 innings of postseason experience.nn“For me, my biggest strength is being a leader by example,” Scherzer said. “I can be a vocal leader, but that’s not my best strength. My best strength is to go out there and just show you how I do it. Compete at all times. Be prepared. Guys tend to gravitate towards that. That’s how they typically follow along, is by following what you do, not what you say.nn“So for me now, being an elder statesman in this game, being 39 years old, being now the old guy in the clubhouse, you’ve got to do things right, all the time. So it’s something I’ve dealt with and been with. But I love being a part of this situation and looking forward to the situation here in Texas.””,”type”:”text”}],”contentType”:”news”,”subHeadline”:null,”summary”:”ARLINGTON — Max Scherzer never expected to be traded. After all, he was the co-ace on a Mets club that made its World Series intentions clear over the last two offseasons.nThen the Mets brass traded closer David Robertson to the Marlins on Thursday, and it became clear that New”,”tagline({“formatString”:”none”})”:null,”tags”:[{“__typename”:”InternalTag”,”slug”:”storytype-article”,”title”:”Article”,”type”:”article”},{“__typename”:”ContributorTag”,”slug”:”kennedi-landry”,”title”:”Kennedi Landry”,”type”:”contributor”},{“__typename”:”PersonTag”,”slug”:”playerid-453286″,”title”:”Max Scherzer”,”person”:{“__ref”:”Person:453286″},”type”:”player”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”apple-news”,”title”:”Apple News”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-140″,”title”:”Texas Rangers”,”team”:{“__ref”:”Team:140″},”type”:”team”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”trade-deadline”,”title”:”Trade Deadline”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”transactions”,”title”:”transactions”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”GameTag”,”slug”:”gamepk-717168″,”title”:”2023/08/01 cws@tex”,”type”:”game”}],”type”:”story”,”thumbnail”:”https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/{formatInstructions}/mlb/jeteywtmn91gwptyqxbj”,”title”:”Max Scherzer talks about trade to Texas Rangers”}},”Team:140″:{“__typename”:”Team”,”id”:140},”Person:453286″:{“__typename”:”Person”,”id”:453286},”Team:121″:{“__typename”:”Team”,”id”:121}}}
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47 minutes ago
ARLINGTON — Max Scherzer never expected to be traded. After all, he was the co-ace on a Mets club that made its World Series intentions clear over the last two offseasons.
Then the Mets brass traded closer David Robertson to the Marlins on Thursday, and it became clear that New York’s World Series aspirations had shifted away from this season. After talks with owner Steve Cohen and general manager Billy Eppler, Scherzer realized that the vision for the Mets likely did not include him past the Trade Deadline.
By Sunday morning, Scherzer had waived his no-trade clause. Soon after that, he was a Texas Ranger.
“Obviously, this team’s in first place for a reason,” Scherzer said of joining the club. “They’ve been playing great baseball. If you look back at my career when I’ve been traded, it’s always been to a team that wants you and is in a good situation. So with Texas calling, realizing the situation that I had in New York and realizing the situation that was now developing in Texas, that this was going to be the best place for me to continue my career, and have a chance to be able to win as well.”
The likely future Hall of Famer hasn’t looked his best this season, though, and even took responsibility for how his own struggles affected the Mets’ season. Scherzer has posted a 4.01 ERA with 121 strikeouts over 107 2/3 innings. He has been especially susceptible to the long ball, allowing a career-high 1.9 home runs per nine innings.
Scherzer said he’s felt like his execution and location have been the biggest issues early this season, as he’s left more pitches over the middle of the plate than he has historically. All that has led to him giving up home runs at a “rate he isn’t comfortable with.”
“I’ve kind of had a Jekyll and Hyde season,” Scherzer said. “There’s been some starts where I pitched well, some starts that haven’t gone well. I’ve been trying to make adjustments, trying to iron it out and figure out what exactly I need to do to execute all my pitches where I want them. I feel like over the past couple of weeks I’ve identified some of the right things.
“As much as it’s been frustrating, it’s been up and down for me, I’m also in a spot where I’m healthy. I’ve got my mechanics right, I’m throwing the ball well. You get the first place, now you’ve got to win. You come here, you’ve got to win. That’s what it’s about. But that’s where I love to be.”
Whether this is who Scherzer is now or not has yet to be seen. But the right-hander brings a lot to this team and this rotation, both on and off the field. He’s here to help Texas win, while joining a rotation that now includes Nathan Eovaldi, Jordan Montgomery and Jon Gray.
Scherzer has won Cy Youngs — three, to be exact. He’s won a World Series with Washington in 2019. On top of that, he’s got 133 1/3 innings of postseason experience.
“For me, my biggest strength is being a leader by example,” Scherzer said. “I can be a vocal leader, but that’s not my best strength. My best strength is to go out there and just show you how I do it. Compete at all times. Be prepared. Guys tend to gravitate towards that. That’s how they typically follow along, is by following what you do, not what you say.
“So for me now, being an elder statesman in this game, being 39 years old, being now the old guy in the clubhouse, you’ve got to do things right, all the time. So it’s something I’ve dealt with and been with. But I love being a part of this situation and looking forward to the situation here in Texas.”
NORTH TEXAS – First things first, another aftershock hit near Snyder on Saturday afternoon, with the same epicenter depth and a magnitude of 4.5, close to the 5.1 magnitude quake from yesterday. Dozens of smaller aftershocks have also occurred.
As of the 10 p.m. update, the National Hurricane Center now reports a medium chance of formation for the tropical wave approaching the Lesser Antilles. Many model projections bring this system relatively close to Cuba and eventually Florida by late week into the weekend. This development will bear watching, as it signals that the Atlantic main development region (MDR) is becoming active again. It has been relatively quiet since Beryl nearly a month ago.
This week, summer heat returns. Heat indices will likely range from 98 to 103 degrees through Monday, increasing slightly by midweek. We could approach heat advisory criteria by midweek. Woohoo.
The upper-level high pressure will build over the southern plains this week before retreating west by next weekend, possibly allowing for some northerly flow on the eastern sides and a chance of rain. We’ll cross our fingers.
The 7-day forecast: not great. Feels like August!
Have a restful weekend!
Looking to turn things around this season, the Texas A&M Aggies have the first big hurdle coming up.
Exactly one month prior to kickoff against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Mike Elko and company will suit up for training camp. Hitting the field for the first time of the season will give them the chance to iron out the kinks in their game plan and begin to build chemistry, which will certainly be important to finding success in the new-look SEC.
From a returning quarterback to new coordinators and everything in between, Texas A&M has some work to do before it’ll be ready to kickoff in the fall. If all goes well, the Aggies could see the revival they’ve been hoping for since firing Jimbo Fisher.
But that’s contingent on training camp.
Here are a few things to watch for as Elko’s squad gears up for the year:
Conner Weigman’s 1st Full Season
Standout quarterback Conner Weigman is entering this third season within the Aggies’ program, but he’s played less than one season’s worth of games.
Taking over the starting position late in the season during his freshman year and only getting four games before breaking his foot in his sophomore year has prevented Weigman from truly becoming the quarterback that Texas A&M had hoped he would be. This season, however, that’s set to change.
“He’s healthy now,” Elko said, dispelling any lingering worries of his quarterback’s health. “You’re starting to see that energy. You’re starting to see him really come into himself and, obviously, it’s going to be really important for us to get good at quarterback play this fall.”
Naturally, Weigman will be quintessential to the Aggies’ overall performance next season. In the four games he did start in 2023, he reached nearly 1,000 yards and threw eight touchdowns on a completion percentage near 70.
His talent is unquestionable. The real concern will be whether or not he’ll be able to stay on the field throughout the year.
If a perfect world did exist and Weigman played all 12 games of the regular season the way he did the first four, he would have finished second overall in passing yards and passing touchdowns in the SEC.
Next season’s success can’t be based on hypothetical numbers, but it does say something about the kind of potential Weigman brings to the Aggies. If he can stay healthy, Texas A&M will already be in a much better position than it was one season ago.
Weigman just has to go prove it.
A Scrappy Offensive Line, Among Other Things
Protecting Weigman up front will be a group made up of four returners.
At center will Mark Nabou Jr., joined by Chase Bisontis, Reuben Fatheree II and newcomer Ar’maj Reed-Adams. Leading them is Trey Zuhn III — one of the Aggies’ offensive captains — who will also play a large role in keeping the offense fluid throughout the year.
That was something that Elko preached heavily.
“Our ability to get really talented and really good on the offensive line, as quick as we possibly can, will play a huge role in our ability to be successful on offense,” Elko explained. ”I do know that they will be a much scrappier, much grittier, much tougher group as we move into the fall.”
With Le’Veon Moss, Amari Daniels and Rueben Owens returning in the backfield next season, that line up front will have a large responsibility. None of Owens, Daniels and Moss had a true breakout season last year, but with a much stronger passing game, that’s sure to change.
While Weigman opens up the field as a passing threat, the trio of backs for Texas A&M can make its offense a big threat for opposing defenses. And at the forefront of it all?
Zuhn III and his scrappy offensive line.
“We’ve put in a ton of work,” the captain said. “Just having that much experience on the offensive line now, it’s going to be huge. We’ve been able to gel together these past couple of months, working hard, competing against each other in the weight room and on the field.”
Klein & Bateman: 2 New Coordinators
Elko isn’t the only new face on the Aggies’ coaching staff.
After being hired in late November, it didn’t take long for the coach to add new offensive and defensive coordinators. With Bobby Petrino now back with his Arkansas Razorbacks and D.J. Durkin set to assume the same role with the Auburn Tigers, Texas A&M was in need of new leadership.
The result? Collin Klein on offense and Jay Bateman on defense.
After spending ample time with the Kansas State Wildcats, Klein brings with him experience and an easy-to-work-with personality that ultimately drew Elko to hiring him to head of the Aggies’ offense in its quest to build upon previous seasons instead of starting from scratch.
“Collin brings an innovative mind,” Elko said of his new offensive coordinator. “I think the thing that really drew me to Collin was his knowledge of the game of football, his intelligence level and understanding how to attack defenses.”
As for Bateman, he’s been around the SEC — most recently with Billy Napier in Florida — and knows what it takes to compete in arguably the toughest conference in college football. Texas A&M has a history with a strong defensive unit, so the pressure is certainly on for him as well.
Since Elko and his staff have arrived in College Station, the change in culture has been made clear by the program. Players are “where they’re supposed to be” and are “more receptive” to leadership as it comes from multiple fronts.
Obviously, there is more to be done before that culture shift can impact the result on the field, but the Aggies are in a good place. After all, two new coordinators and a much better attitude?
On paper, it sounds like a recipe for success.
It’s not as if the Texas Rangers have major holes in the lineup that need to be plugged before the trade deadline. That wasn’t the case last season.
The Rangers made serious additions in 2023, especially on the pitching side. The club brought in top-flight starters in Max Scherzer and Jordan Montgomery shortly before the deadline after an early trade for reliever Aroldis Chapman.
Health and depth might be the biggest needs for defending World Series champions in 2024. The Rangers are still waiting on slew of pitchers to return, including Jacob deGrom, Tyler Mahle and Cody Bradford. Third baseman Josh Jung is closer to coming back, while the status of outfielder Evan Carter is somewhat murky.
The overriding theme is time, as the Rangers for a considerable infusion of talent once they get healthy. In the meantime, with the trade deadline looming, Texas can make some moves to address depth in the race to chase down the Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners in the American League West.
A recent report from MLB.com suggested that the Rangers should get help behind catcher Jonah Heim.
Rangers catchers have the fourth-lowest OPS in the Majors (.597), and while Jonah Heim is locked in as the starter, adding a second backstop to pick up some of the load would benefit Texas as it tries to chase down the Astros and Mariners in the AL West.
– MLB.com
Colorado Rockies backstop Elias Díaz was listed as a possible fit. With the Rockies out of contention and in a “sell” position, unloading the veteran catcher and his $6 million contract makes sense. Díaz is a solid hitter (.270/.329/.724) and defender who could take some of the load off Heim during the stretch run, much as Mitch Garver did last season.
Díaz was an All-Star in 2023 and was named the game’s MVP after hitting a home run in the eighth inning.
The trade deadline is July 30.
Catch up with Inside the Rangers on Facebook and X.
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