Scherzer going into free agency at 40 off most frustrating season and expects to pitch healthy again

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Max Scherzer is going home and into free agency after what the three-time Cy Young Award winner considers the most frustrating of his 17 seasons in the big leagues.

Still at age 40, and finishing a year with the Texas Rangers in which he made his fewest starts since being a rookie, Scherzer said Sunday that he looks forward to having a normal offseason and expects to pitch again next season.

“I still believe I can pitch at a high level here. There’s nothing stopping me from doing that. Just right now my body’s not fully cooperating,” Scherzer said before the Rangers played their final home game. “But if I can properly address everything that’s been going on and learn from what is going on with my body right now, I can be better next year for it with a full offseason.”

The right-hander was scratched from his scheduled start Saturday because of a strained left hamstring and put on the 15-day injured list, which ended his season with the reigning World Series champions already out of playoff contention. He was 2-4 with a 3.95 ERA in nine starts, his fewest since seven as a rookie with Arizona in 2008.