Rangers’ Max Scherzer has outside-the-box ideas to ‘save’ starting pitching

Scherzer says he has talked to MLB officials about something he calls the “double hook.” It would force a team to pull their designated hitter, when that team pulls their starting pitcher from the mound. This idea was given pushback, the Rangers pitcher says, because players could lose their market value in the DH spot.

The Rangers hurler says his ultimate goal is to allow pitchers more time on the mound when things are going well. He argues that disastrous starts for pitchers wouldn’t be affected by new rule changes.

“That’s not the start we’re trying to curtail,” Scherzer added. “The starts that make everybody pull their hair out is when you go five innings on 70 pitches, you’ve only given up one run and you just get pulled. That’s the start that is agitating everybody, that you can be dealing and someone can say because of the probability theory that you’re going to give up more runs the third time through, you’ve got to come out.”

Verlander’s view

Scherzer’s ideas seem to have at least one advocate. Veteran Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander is also in favor of making changes to the game for starting pitchers. Verlander says a lot of younger players aren’t pushing for longer innings in games.

“Way too often, you see younger players feel happy with five innings. It’s not their fault. It’s what the team wants of them. It’s what players are getting paid for,” Verlander said. Verlander says younger pitchers are throwing harder since they expect to be pulled sooner from starts.

It will be interesting to see if these ideas gain any traction. Major League Baseball recently instituted a pitch clock, which gives hurlers a certain amount of time before they have to throw. It was intended to pick up the pace in games, and it seems to have done that.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred seems to also want more changes in starting pitching. Manfred is considering changing league rules to lower the amount of pitchers a team can carry. His proposal would lower the amount of pitchers per team from 13 to 12, per the Associated Press. That change could take effect as soon as the 2025 season. It will be interesting to see what the Rangers’ Scherzer has to say about that proposal.

In their careers, Scherzer and Verlander have combined to throw 38 complete games. The two hurlers certainly know a lot about the game of baseball. Now, the question is will anyone listen to them.