Max Scherzer pitches just 2 innings for Rangers in his first start after the All-Star break

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Max Scherzer pitched just two innings for the Texas Rangers on Saturday night in his first start after the All-Star break.

The three-time Cy Young Award winner allowed four runs as eight of the 14 Baltimore batters he faced reached base. It was only his sixth start since midseason back surgery, and it was a week before his 40th birthday.

José Ureña replaced Scherzer on the mound early in the third inning with the Rangers trailing 4-0.

Scherzer threw 34 of his 53 pitches for strikes, while allowing five hits and two walks. He struck out one, which would have put him just two shy of 10th on baseball’s career strikeout list, and committed a throwing error.

His velocity was slightly down, with 20 fastballs averaging 91.3 mph — below his season average of 92.7 mph. His 11 sliders and 11 changeups were also down.

It was Scherzer’s shortest outing since June 11, 2021, when he threw just 12 pitches for Washington and faced just his second batter against San Francisco when he felt a groin strain. He left that game after stretching his body and taking one warmup pitch.

After undergoing surgery to repair a herniated disc in his lower back last December, Scherzer was diagnosed with a nerve problem during his rehabilitation, which was diagnosed after he experienced pain in his right thumb.