AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: RANGERS VS ASTROS

October 17, 2023

Bruce Bochy

Globe Life Field

Texas Rangers

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. What are the limitations, if any, on Max Scherzer tomorrow?

BRUCE BOCHY: Well, I said this a couple of days ago, and I'll stick with this right now. He threw 69 pitches facing hitters a week ago or so, about six days ago. So that's the starting point. Obviously we'll watch innings, how he feels, looking at the command, stuff, velo, things like that, but he's been working pretty good, so he can get us at least in that area, if not more.

Q. Does your Game 4 starter depend on how much Scherzer works tomorrow?

BRUCE BOCHY: I don't know if it depends on how much he works, but we are going to hold off before we lose our starters, because I don't know how the game is going to go. It could be extra innings, too. All those guys are ready to go down there.

Now, we have some options with starters being down there, loan guys. So we can use different type -- lefties, righties, Gray, Bradford, guys like that. If we don't use them, they'll be available the next day.

Q. You mentioned yesterday that Scherzer had lobbied pretty well over the last week or so to get activated. And I think everybody knows Max is a fairly intense human being. I'm just curious what the experience of Max Scherzer lobbying to get on the roster is like?

BRUCE BOCHY: Well, as far as lobbying, I guess, I mean, that's what it is, when the guy is hungry to get out there and pitch. He's a competitor. All of you know him. That's who he is. He wants to be part of this. He wants to help this team any way he can.

He mentioned in the bullpen, could be starting in this -- started coming around a lot better than even he thought how fast the arm really bounced back. And Baltimore he threw a couple of innings there. Second inning was really good. And I think he was so encouraged to a point where he says, Hey, I really think I'm going to be ready.

And actually we even thought about previous series, about activating him. Our concern was, well, if something happens, then he would miss this series. So we wanted to be a little cautious there.

But it's just who Max is.

Q. We talked about Leody and what he's done the last month and a half. But specifically he's been working walks at a rate in the playoffs he wasn't in the regular season. What have you seen him in terms of the quality of his at-bats to get on base that way?

BRUCE BOCHY: I say more than anything with his -- how the season started to where he is now, he really has done a nice job of quieting things down. The balance up there, that's keeping him from expanding the zone. He's making the pitcher throw strikes on both sides. And that's the development of a young player. That's what you want to see as they play more.

Last year I know that was an issue with him at times. I saw it in Spring Training. I saw it early. He started on the IL, and he missed some time there. We brought him a bit early, maybe. And he was working on getting the timing.

But you could see it get better and better. And with that your confidence grows. And the more that grows, the more comfortable you are at laying off pitches and just making the pitcher throw strikes.

Q. I don't know if there's any explanation for this, but your starters have allowed four walks in three innings in the postseason. The walk rate is down dramatically from where it was during the regular season. Is there anything you can point to, why your guys have had so much better command of the strike zone?

BRUCE BOCHY: I wish I could give you a really good reason except that's what's preached here. I think every team does that. Pound the strike zone, throw strikes. That's the way it should work. So these guys are doing it. And not just strikes, but they need to be quality strikes.

So I think you have to look at the talent that's out there. Montgomery and Eovaldi, all of them. I don't want to leave somebody out. The last thing you want to do is work a lot of deep counts and put guys on base. So that's kind of been the philosophy here along with pitching in general.