Texas Rangers’ Max Scherzer progressing in rehab, throws to hitters for a second time

ATLANTA — The Texas Rangers’ Max Scherzer would like to make one thing perfectly clear: He may be blitzing through recovery from back surgery, but please don’t say he’s ahead of schedule.

He’s right on time.

At least on Max time.

Scherzer threw 40 pitches over two innings of a simulated game Friday in his second session against hitters this week. Next step: a rehab assignment as early as next week. Scherzer, provided he recovers as he normally has from recent throwing sessions, will now start a normal five-day progression of outings to ramp up his pitch count.

“I want to remove all that ‘ahead of schedule,’ ‘early,’ — all of that lingo,” he said. “No, I have not been experiencing the symptoms that most people experience, outside of the surgery. I have felt normal. I turned the corner here a couple of weeks ago. Everything I’m doing, in terms of throwing, I’m recovering from it normally. My body feels good. So I’m just ramping up like normal right now. This is not me pushing anything. I’m not trying to cut a single corner.”

Scherzer had originally been expected to be out until June following December surgery to repair a herniated disc, but he’s not experienced much soreness. The Rangers were encouraged as far back as March and opted not to place him on the 60-day injured list to start the season. Had he been placed on the 60-day IL, he would have not been eligible until the end of May. If he makes a four- or five-start rehab assignment, he could be ready by the middle of the month.

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