When Max Scherzer made his MLB debut, pitching in relief for the Arizona Diamondbacks on April 29, 2008, Brandon Pfaadt was just nine years old.
Now, nearly 15 years later, the 25-year-old Pfaadt will square off against the 16-year MLB veteran in Game 3 of the World Series, each with a chance to lift their respective clubs to an auspicious 2-1 lead.
According to MLB, the Game 3 winner in a best-of-seven series tied at 1-1 goes on to win the series 69 per cent of the time.
So, with history suggesting that there’s a whole lot more on the line Monday than a single game, the Texas Rangers turn to their three-time Cy Young winner, eight-time All-Star, World Series champion and future Hall of Famer.
Despite Scherzer’s impressive résumé, there might be a few more questions about what the Rangers can expect to get out of him than what the Diamondbacks can expect from Pfaadt.
Arizona’s star rookie has been tougher on opposing hitters this post-season. Pfaadt owns a 2.70 ERA over four starts this October and has struck out 22 in just 16.2 innings of work. Meanwhile, Scherzer, who is still working his way back to full health, has pitched to a 9.45 ERA over his two starts and allowed nine hits and two home runs in 6.2 innings.
After entering the season in Triple-A as MLB Pipeline‘s No. 33 ranked prospect, Pfaadt didn’t exactly hit the ground running in his first call to the majors this season. He posted an 8.37 ERA over his five career starts and took two recalls before sticking with the Diamondbacks down the stretch.
When asked at Sunday’s workout day how he would react if he were told in April that he would pitch on the World Series stage, Pfaadt said he probably wouldn’t have believed them, but knew he’d be ready if the opportunity was there.
“I was always in the picture,” he said. “I think we struggled early on, but we knew the outcome, if it were to get in this spot, that we would be here and ready to help our team win.”
While the Diamondbacks have controlled the series through the majority of the first two games, the Rangers likely feel pretty good about heading into enemy territory as the games shift to Chase Field.
Texas is 8-0 on the road so far this post-season and coming off an ALCS that saw the visiting club win all seven games of the series.
In Scherzer’s trip to the Fall Classic in 2019, he pitched on the road in Games 1 and 7 against the Houston Astros, allowing four runs over 10 innings between the two starts. This time around, he has more to prove against a Diamondbacks lineup that is coming off games where it got to a previously untouchable Nathan Eovaldi and Jordan Montgomery for nine runs combined.
With the baton being passed to Scherzer in hopes of continuing their road success, the Rangers will need the six-foot-three right-hander to continue showing progress in his recovery from a strained teres major muscle suffered in early September.
“It’s just getting better and better with him, which is the norm — the command of all his pitches, arm strength,” Texas manager Bruce Bochy told reporters Sunday. “Took a good bullpen a couple of days ago. So just takes time sometimes, and each time out, I think he’s just getting better.”
Hitters to Watch
Not only does Game 3 offer Scherzer a full-circle moment in coming back to Arizona to face the team that drafted him, but Pfaadt will get the chance to make amends for his first career start, which came against this Rangers offence.
The then 24-year-old lasted just 4.2 innings and allowed seven runs on nine hits and four home runs while striking out three.
Jonah Heim, Leody Taveras and Josh Jung — who did it twice — all took the young righty deep, spoiling Pfaadt’s MLB debut.
Based on his previous success against Pfaadt, Jung might be a hitter to look out for in Game 3. He has quietly put together some solid at-bats for Texas so far in the World Series. The 25-year-old third baseman went 3-for-8 through the first two games, boosting his overall slash line for the entire post-season to .302/.328/.566.
Of course, when talking about Texas hitters right now, you can’t ignore Adolis Garcia. Merrill Kelly and the Diamondbacks snapped Garcia’s five-game home run streak by holding the Cuban outfielder hitless in Game 2.
Perhaps Kelly gave Pfaadt a blueprint for how to get Garcia out, but with the way the ALCS MVP is swinging the bat, pitchers won’t be able to get away with a lot of mistakes without needing to ask the umpire for a new ball.
On the Arizona side, its lineup is clicking on all cylinders right now. Every single Diamondback to step to the plate, other than Jace Peterson, in the World Series has picked up a hit.
Tommy Pham has led the way with a 5-for-9 performance, including a four-hit game on Saturday. After a slow start in the playoffs, Pham has picked the perfect time to round into form. He’ll be in tough on Monday, however, as he has been woefully overmatched in his career against Scherzer. In 24 career matchups, Pham has just three hits and 10 strikeouts against his former New York Mets teammate.
No Diamondbacks hitters have really had all that much success against Scherzer, but in their one matchup this season, Corbin Carroll lined a first-inning homer off him.
With the World Series returning to Arizona for the first time since 2001, the Chase Field crowd should be rocking as Scherzer and Pfaadt duel it out.
You can catch all the action as Game 3 unfolds on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT.
