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It turns out Max Scherzer received some additional input when he was mulling a trade this July.
During Saturday night’s Rangers-Twins game, Ken Rosenthal reported that Scherzer’s wife, Erica, was one of the main drivers behind Scherzer’s decision to accept a trade from the Mets to the Rangers.
“Scherzer was not itching to leave the Mets. His wife Erica and four children were comfortable in New York, they felt, ‘Hey, the Mets train not far from their home in Jupiter, Florida,’” Rosenthal reported.
“But when the Mets told Scherzer they do not plan to reload for 2024, Erica, former college softball pitcher at University of Missouri, said, ‘Accept a trade.’ Max said: ‘She gets it. She wants a World Series. She knows what we play for.’”
Since Scherzer held a no-trade clause, any trade needed his approval, and that became a major point of focus leading into the trade deadline.
Scherzer also held an option for 2023 that complicated the proceedings since teams wanted to know if they were acquiring him for just 2023 or also 2024.
When news broke that the Mets had a deal in place to acquire prized prospect Luisangel Acuña from the Rangers, all eyes turned to Scherzer and whether he would OK or axe the deal.
Scherzer eventually agreed, opting into the final year of his deal which will pay him $43.3 million next year.
The future Hall of Famer later told reporters that Mets general manager Billy Eppler told him the team’s plan no longer prioritized 2024 and rather imagined 2025 of 2026 as prime competitive years.
“I was thankful. They were very honest, very (forthcoming),” Scherzer said about his conversation with Mets’ leadership. “It became obvious which way the team was gonna go and the best decisions for everyone involved … You signed up there to win and you really thought we’d have a chance to win there. Obviously, we didn’t and that’s what stinks.”
Scherzer posted a 4.01 ERA with the Mets in 107 2/3 innings this year, but in 30 ⅔ innings with the Rangers, who are 73-56 and tied for first place in the AL West, his ERA is 2.58.
