Enrique RojasSenior ESPN Digital WriterReading: 4 min.
MLB recognizes replacements on Texas Rangers due to injuries to Garcia and Scherzer in Game 3 of Fall Classic Ezequiel Durán and Brock Burke enter the roster
MLB approved the replacements due to injuries to Garcia and Scherzer in Game 3 of the Fall Classic at Chase Field in Phoenix on Monday. Garcia was replaced by Dominican infielder and outfielder Ezequiel Duran, and Scherzer was replaced by left-handed pitcher Brock Burke.
Dr. Gary Greene, MLB’s medical director, confirmed the injuries after contacting the evaluating physician. MLB postseason rules state that MLB may request permission to substitute a player who is unable to play due to injury. The League may accept or deny the request based on specific facts and circumstances.
According to the rules, both Garcia and Scherzer will not be eligible to return for the remainder of the World Series.
Scherzer pitched three shutout innings before feeling stiffness in his back, while Garcia suffered mild oblique strain in the eighth inning. Nevertheless, the Rangers defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 3–1 to take a 2–1 lead in the World Series.
Garcia’s departure is more appropriate than Scherzer’s at this point in the series.
The Cuban outfielder was the best hitter in the entire postseason with a .322 average, eight home runs and an all-time record 22 runs scored in 15 games.
“Adolis did everything he could today. He came in, he was the first one today. He got as much treatment as possible. He tried to get down in the cage and it was obvious he was hurting,” Rangers general manager Chris Ilango said..
“It’s not going to get better in the next five to seven days. I think the schedule would have made a lot more sense if it was the regular season. It made the decision a lot easier,” he added.
Regarding Scherzer, Young said the pitcher has received treatment but has not made any progress.
“Our medical team is seriously concerned about his ability to recover in the coming days that will allow him to pitch in this series, so he has also been ruled out,” he said.
“If it was the regular season, both would go on the injury list. We’re at a point where we don’t have time to wait for these things to improve,” he added.