When the Mets signed Max Scherzer almost 20 months ago, it felt like a new era for the franchise, ushering in a time of high payrolls and even higher expectations under owner Steve Cohen.
Now? That all feels very distant. With their season in shambles, the Mets are trading Scherzer to the Rangers for middle infield prospect Luisangel Acuña, the younger brother of Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña, Jr. The deal is more than a rental: The 39-year-old Scherzer will reportedly be exercising his player option to stay in Texas for 2024, too, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. (The Mets will also send cash to cover some $35 million of Scherzer’s salary.) For the contending Rangers, it’s a chance to bolster their rotation down the stretch, albeit at a rather high price. And for the Mets, it’s a nice return on the official white flag for a season that, despite its promise, has been disappointing since the start.
The Rangers have spent almost the entire year in first place in the AL West. The Astros have never given them much breathing room—Houston currently sits just two games back of Texas—but they’ve managed to retain their hold on first all the same. The Rangers’ one clear need for the deadline? Some additional starting pitching. That’s partially to cover the loss of Jacob deGrom, who has not pitched since April and underwent Tommy John surgery in June. But there are some other points to address here, too. Martín Pérez has not been able to replicate his All-Star turn from last year; Andrew Heaney has struggled to match his performance from his one season with the Dodgers.
