San Diego, Calif. — The Texas Rangers today announced that the club has acquired right-handed pitcher Max Scherzer and cash considerations from the New York Mets in exchange for infielder/outfielder Luisangel Acuña.

"We are thrilled to add a pitcher of Max's caliber and experience to our staff," said Rangers Executive Vice President and General Manager Chris Young. "Max is a fierce competitor and a proven winner, and we can't wait to get him in a Rangers uniform."

Scherzer, 39, has gone 9-4 with a 4.01 ERA (48 ER/107.2 IP) over 19 starts for the Mets this season, posting 121 strikeouts with 30 walks while averaging 10.11 strikeouts per 9 innings.  He ranks among National League qualifiers in strikeouts per batter faced (7th, 27.3%), win percentage (T8th, .692), base runners allowed per 9 innings (9th, 10.95), wins (T9th, 9), WHIP (10th, 1.189), strikeouts (13th, 121), and opponent batting average (13th, .240).

A three-time Cy Young Award winner with the Detroit Tigers (2013) and Washington Nationals (2016, 2017), Scherzer is one of seven pitchers in Major League history to finish in the top five of his league’s Cy Young voting at least eight times.

Scherzer is the active leader in career strikeouts (3314) and has recorded nine seasons with at least 200 strikeouts, which ranks 5th all-time behind Nolan Ryan (15), Randy Johnson (13), Roger Clemens (12), and Tom Seaver (10). This season, Scherzer recorded his 111th career double-digit strikeout game on June 7 at Atlanta, moving ahead of Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez for 3rd place all-time. He ranks 12th on the all-time strikeouts list, one of only 19 players to reach at least 3,000 strikeouts in Major League history. 

An eight-time All-Star (2013-19, 2021), Scherzer also ranks among active Major League leaders in win percentage (2nd, .665) wins (3rd, 210), and ERA (3rd, 3.15). He earned his 200th career win last season in a postseason-clinching game for the New York Mets on September 19 at Milwaukee, throwing 6.0 perfect innings. He has led his league in wins four times, strikeouts three times, and innings pitched twice, while also leading Major League Baseball with a 56.5 fWAR since 2013.

A 2019 World Series Champion with the Washington Nationals, Scherzer has appeared in 27 career postseason games (22 starts). He owns a 7-7 record with a 3.58 ERA (53 ER/133.1 IP) and 51 walks against 164 strikeouts in the postseason. During the 2019 title winning campaign, Scherzer went 3-0 with a 2.40 ERA (8 ER/30.0 IP) in 6 games (5 starts), including a start during Game 7 of the 2019 World Series (ND, 5.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R-ER, 4 BB, 3 SO).

Originally drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first round (11th overall) of the 2006 MLB draft out of the University of Missouri, Scherzer owns a 210-106 record, 3.15 ERA (975 ER/2789.2 IP), 731 walks, and 3314 strikeouts in 449 games/440 starts across 16 Major League seasons with Arizona (2008-09), Detroit (2010-14), Washington (2015-2021), Los Angeles-NL (2021), and New York-NL (2022-23).

The 21-year-old Acuña has spent the entire season with Double-A Frisco, batting .315/.377/.453/.830 with 7 home runs and 51 RBI in 84 games.  He was originally signed by Texas as a non-drafted free agent on July 2, 2018.

Following this trade, the Rangers remain at the 40-man limit on the club’s Major League roster, along with three players (Jacob deGrom, Brett Martin, and Jake Odorizzi) on the 60-day Injured List.