Veteran pitcher Max Scherzer had his first loss as a member of the Texas Rangers against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday, but it wasn’t all that bad for the 39-year-old player. Scherzer had four strikeouts in a 6-2 defeat and moved up to 11th place on MLB’s all-time strikeout list.
Scherzer now has 3,344 career strikeouts, which was enough to jump over Hall of Famer Phil Niekro.
Despite reaching an important milestone, Scherzer didn’t feel festive after the game.
“I’m here to win,” Scherzer told reporters. “I’m not here for milestones. I’m not here for accomplishments.”
Scherzer arrived with the Rangers in a blockbuster trade from the New York Mets ahead of the MLB trade deadline. He won his first three starts as a Ranger but couldn’t get going against the Brewers.
“Weird start. You know, it’s not like I got hit around,” he added. “They had a really good approach against me and just found a way to take their walks. It just didn’t feel like I was putting guys away, especially when I got the two strikes.”
Scherzer is 12-5 in 23 starts this season with the Mets and the Rangers. He has a 3.77 ERA, his highest since 2011, and 151 strikeouts.
The Rangers are currently on a four-game losing streak but are still at the top of the AL West with a 72-52 record.
