Max Scherzer left off Texas roster for ALDS against Orioles

BALTIMORE — If Max Scherzer is going to pitch in this postseason, he’ll have to hope the Texas Rangers advance at least one more round.

Scherzer was left off the AL Division Series roster for Texas on Saturday. The three-time Cy Young Award winner hasn’t pitched since Sept. 12 because of shoulder problems, and now he won’t be available in this matchup with Baltimore.

Scherzer faced hitters Friday in a workout the day before Game 1, but he said afterward he’d need to see how his body recovers. The Rangers acquired him in a trade at this year’s deadline from the New York Mets.

“He threw yesterday, and he threw well,” manager Bruce Bochy said Saturday. “Today he got up and felt pretty good. Still, we didn’t feel like we had enough information where we could put him on the roster right now. He was not going to be available the first two games.”

The Orioles scratched lefty starter John Means because of elbow soreness.

The Orioles put 12 pitchers on their roster, while the Rangers took 13. Texas made only one change from the roster that beat Tampa Bay in the wild-card series, adding left-hander Cody Bradford in place of right-hander Grant Anderson.

The Rangers’ roster includes:

Right-handed pitchers (7):

Matt Bush

Dane Dunning

Nathan Eovaldi

José Leclerc

Josh Sborz

Will Smith

Chris Stratton

Left-handed pitchers (6):

Cody Bradford

Brock Burke

Aroldis Chapman

Andrew Heaney

Jordan Montgomery

Martín Pérez

Catchers (3):

Mitch Garver

Austin Hedges

Jonah Heim

Infielders (5):

Josh Jung

Nathaniel Lowe

Corey Seager

Marcus Semien

Josh H. Smith

Outfielders (5):

Evan Carter

Adolis García

Robbie Grossman

Travis Jankowski

Leody Taveras