The Grizzled Vet Takes On The Rookie Phenom in World Series Game 3

When Max Scherzer made his MLB debut with the Arizona Diamondbacks in April, 1998, Brandon Pfaadt was a 9-year-old boy living in Louisville, Kentucky and maybe dreaming of playing in the majors some day.

Fifteen-plus years later, Pfaadt will don the Diamondbacks uniform once worn by Scherzer and face off against the veteran righty in a pivotal World Series game that will put one team only two wins away from the hoisting the Commissioner’s Trophy.

It’s a testament to Scherzer’s longevity and his fearlessness and to Pfaadt’s moxie. Two pitchers, nearly a generation apart, going toe-to-toe on the biggest baseball stage.

After a crushing defeat in Game 1, the Diamondbacks roared back in Game 2 and beat the Rangers 9-1. They knocked Rangers starter Jordan Montgomery around for 4 runs on 9 hits. Montgomery took his first loss this postseason. The D’Backs also hit the Rangers bullpen up for 5 runs in just 3 innings—a complete reversal from Game 1 when the Texas relievers kept the D’Backs in check with zero runs scored over 6+ innings.

D’Backs starter Merrill Kelly was brilliant. He allowed only a solo home run to Mitch Garver but otherwise kept the Rangers’ powerful offense on ice.

Scherzer will need to pitch better than Montgomery. Pfaadt can only hope to replicate Kelly’s dominant performance.

Pfaadt’s MLB debut was a start against the Rangers on May 3, 2023. He pitched 4 2/3 innings and allowed 9 runs on 7 hits, including 4 home runs—2 by Josh Jung and 1 each by Jonah Heim and Leody Tavares.

But 2023 postseason Pfaadt is not the same guy who gave up all those dingers to the Rangers back in May. Pfaadt shuttled back and forth to Triple-A several times during the season and expanded his pitch arsenal. He also now stands on the opposite side of the rubber, which makes his fastball more deceptive to hitters.

The results are astonishing. In 16 2/3 innings pitched this postseason across 4 starts, Pfaadt has allowed just 5 runs. He held the Phillies scoreless in Game 4 of the NLCS and held them to 2 runs in Game 7. Without Pfaadt, the D’Backs would likely be playing golf now and not getting ready for Game 3 of the World Series.

Scherzer, of course, missed the end of the regular season and didn’t pitch in either the Wild Card or Division Series as he rehabbed from an injury to the teres major muscle in his right shoulder. His first game back was Game 3 of the ALCS and he did not look sharp. Scherzer pitched 4 innings and gave up 5 runs on 5 hits with only 4 strike outs.

Mad Max was more effective in Game 7 but he only pitched 2 2/3 innings to start the game and allowed 2 runs on 4 hits. He’s given up one home run in each postseason game so far.

The Rangers need vintage Max Scherzer tonight. At least 5 innings, maybe more. A high strikeout total. No home runs.

Scherzer does have history against most of the D’Backs starters. The numbers are great for Scherzer.

Corbin Carroll is the outlier, but that sample size is too damn small. Same for Christian Walker’s 1-for-3. Evan Longoria’s career-long struggles against Scherzer suggest we might see Emmanuel Rivera at third base tonight. Same for Tommy Pham, giving us Alek Thomas in center. Or D’Backs manager will ride the hot hand—Pham was 4-for-4 in Game 2.

The Rangers have not yet lost a road game this postseason. That will be put to the test at Chase Field tonight, where the D’Backs posted a 43-38 record this season. Arizona has also played well at home this postseason, winning the clinching NLDS game against the Dodgers and taking 2 of 3 from the Phillies in the NLCS.

Game 3 will kick off tonight at 8:00 pm EDT/5:00 pm PDT on Fox.