San Diego Padres catch a break with Max Scherzer trade to Texas Rangers

The New York Mets officially waved the white flag on the 2023 season on Saturday night, sending three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer to the Texas Rangers in a stunning trade.

When the trade was announced shortly before the Rangers and San Diego Padres began a game at Petco Park, plenty of Padres fans started wondering if the Padres (still rumored to be trying to decide their own trade deadline strategy) would be the first team Scherzer would face in a Rangers uniform. The answer, perhaps thankfully, is no.

San Diego Padres will not have to face new Texas Rangers pitcher Max Scherzer

Scherzer's last outing was on Friday night in Queens against the Washington Nationals where he scattered six hits and allowed one run over 7.0 innings of work. With that in mind, Scherzer won't be ready to make his Texas debut until after the Rangers have already left Petco Park following Sunday's series finale.

Of course, the Padres have seen plenty of Scherzer already this season, facing him twice. San Diego got the best of him on July 9 when the Mets paid a visit right before the All-Star break, tagging him for five runs and six hits in 5.0 innings of work. That was a bit of revenge for the earlier meeting between the two teams when Scherzer was masterful at home, limiting the Padres to just one hit over 5.0 innings at Citi Field.

And, of course, Padres fans will point out that Scherzer was lit up by San Diego in the 2022 Wild Card round, giving up seven runs on seven hits in 4.2 innings of work in a Game 1 matchup on October 7.

While the Padres have fared well against Scherzer in two of the last three matchups, with San Diego needing every good break it can get to try to reach the postseason, not having to face Scherzer for a third time this season is just fine.