This story was originally published by Dead Spin
The Texas Rangers will try to snap a four-game losing streak with perhaps the ideal pitcher going to the mound Friday night against the Baltimore Orioles.
Max Scherzer is back in action and the Rangers need a vintage performance from him.
The Orioles hit four home runs in their 11-2 series-opening romp Thursday in the first meeting between the teams since the playoffs last October.
“We made a lot of mistakes in the middle of the plate, and this team doesn’t miss them,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. “They’ve got some good hitters there. They didn’t miss them. … (They are) the best offensive team in baseball and they took advantage of mistakes.”
Baltimore’s homers came from a group that didn’t include Gunnar Henderson, who ranks second in the majors with 26 home runs, and other sluggers Anthony Santander and Jordan Westburg. It’s the depth of the power hitters that might be most daunting.
“Everybody feeds off each other,” said Orioles outfielder Heston Kjerstad, who smashed his first homer of the season. “Everybody gets up there; you want to follow the guy who’s in front of you. The dude behind you wants to follow what you do.”
Scherzer (1-0, 0.00 ERA) is scheduled to make his second appearance of the season. He blanked the Kansas City Royals for five innings Sunday, yielding one hit and no walks while striking out four. He threw 39 of his 57 pitches for strikes.
“It makes you appreciate how good this man is,” Bochy said. “In his first start back to throw the ball like that. … Glad to see him out there, and you saw him competing at his finest.”
Scherzer had some thumb soreness after his season debut, but nothing that indicated he would not be ready for the assignment Friday in Baltimore. He has dealt with various ailments throughout the years, so that’s something he knows he has to deal with.
“I’m trying to navigate it, but I’m trying to not get hurt,” he said.
Scherzer won 13 games combined between the New York Mets and Texas last year.
In 14 career starts against the Orioles, Scherzer holds a 7-2 record and a 3.17 ERA. In 96 2/3 innings, he has struck out 124.
Right-hander Albert Suarez (3-2, 2.70) will be the Orioles’ starter Friday night. He will try to halt a personal two-game losing streak, during which he has allowed a total of eight runs, 16 hits and eight walks in 8 2/3 innings. He has been a part-time starter, but injuries have forced him back into a rotation spot.
Suarez has never faced the Rangers, who had 12 hits and only two runs in the first game in the series.
Catcher Adley Rutschman had one of Baltimore’s homers Thursday night, though he also has a bruised right hand that occurred after a foul tip behind the plate. That puts his status, or at least his role, in question for the game Friday.
“It’s going to be sore,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “He got it in kind of a weird spot there on his hand, but he wanted to stay in the game.”
–Field Level Media
