Former Mets ace Max Scherzer had surgery on Thursday for a herniated disc, and is expected to be out until June or July of the 2024 season, GM Chris Young told reporters on Friday.
The 39-year-old right-hander has dealt with multiple injuries after the Mets traded him to the Rangers for infield prospect Luisangel Acuña at the 2023 trade deadline.
Scherzer suffered a shoulder injury in mid-September that cost him the remainder of the regular season and kept him off the Rangers' roster for the ALDS.
He returned for the ALCS, but struggled, posting a 9.45 ERA over 6.2 innings across two starts.
In his lone World Series start for Texas, Scherzer tossed three scoreless innings before being removed due to a back injury.
Scherzer struggled for the Mets in 2023 before being traded, with a 4.01 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 107.2 innings over 19 starts. He was also suspended during the season for violating the league's sticky substance rules.
He was strong for the Rangers during the regular season before injuring his shoulder, with a 3.20 ERA and 0.95 WHIP over eight starts.
Scherzer, who exercised his player option for 2024 as a condition of the trade from the Mets to the Rangers, will make $43.3 million in what is the final season of the three-year deal he signed with the Mets before 2022.
The Mets are paying $30.83 million of Scherzer's salary for 2024 -- a concession they made in the trade in order to acquire a prospect with the upside of Acuña.