Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer is scheduled to make his season debut Sunday for the Texas Rangers in a start against the Kansas City Royals.

Scherzer hasn’t pitched for the Rangers since Game 3 of the World Series last fall. He had offseason surgery to repair a herniated disk in his lower back, then experienced right thumb soreness during his rehab this season that team doctors later identified as a nerve issue extending to his right triceps.

“I’ve been looking to get out here for the past six weeks,” Scherzer said before Saturday’s game. “I can’t wait. Just chomping at the bit to get out there.”

His return for the Rangers comes in their first series after earlier this week hosting the New York Mets, the team that traded Scherzer to Texas last year.

Scherzer, who turns 40 on July 27, struck out 17 and had a 4.91 ERA in three rehab starts for Triple-A Round Rock. The first was on April 24, but he was then sidelined by the nerve issue until the other two on June 9 and 15.

Scherzer said his debut was pushed back one day being “ultra careful” because of a loss of pitching grip in recent days.

PHILLIES: Left-hander Cristopher Sánchez and Philadelphia agreed to a four-year contract covering 2025-28.

Sánchez, 27, was signed to a one-year contract calling for the $740,000 minimum while in the major leagues and $280,432 while in the minors. His new deal includes team options for 2029 and 2030.

He would have been eligible for arbitration after the 2025 season. The options potentially cover what would be his first two seasons after free-agent eligibility.

Sánchez was demoted to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on April 23 last year and rejoined the Phillies rotation that June 17. He is 4-3 with a 2.91 ERA in 14 starts this season, allowing one home run in 77 1/3 innings.

METS: Right-hander Kodai Senga is expected to throw batting practice on Sunday in his comeback from a capsule strain in his pitching shoulder.

Mets Manager Carlos Mendoza said Senga will throw about 20 pitches to hitters at the team’s facility in Florida. The team will make a decision on the next step for Senga after that session.

Senga finalized a $75 million, five-year contract with New York in December 2022. He went 12-7 with a 2.98 ERA in 29 starts last year, making the NL All-Star team and finishing second in balloting for NL Rookie of the Year.

The Mets lost another pitcher on Saturday when they placed right-hander Sean Reid-Foley on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder impingement. Left-hander Danny Young was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse.

DIAMONDBACKS: Arizona catcher Gabriel Moreno was put on the 10-day injured list with a sprained left thumb, and the Diamondbacks recalled catcher Jose Herrera from Triple-A Reno of the Pacific Coast League.

Moreno, 24, left Friday night’s 5-4 win over Philadelphia in the sixth inning because of the thumb injury. He had hit his third homer of the season in the third inning, a drive off Taijuan Walker. Arizona Manager Torey Lovullo said Friday night that initial X-rays were negative.

MARLINS: Miami left-hander Jesús Luzardo is on the 15-day injured list for the second time this season, this time because of a lumbar stress reaction, and Manager Skip Schumaker estimated his opening-day starter could be sidelined for four-to-six weeks.

RAYS: Tampa Bay third baseman Amed Rosario left Saturday’s game against Pittsburgh after being hit in the head with a 99 mph fastball from Pirates rookie Jared Jones.

Jones’ third pitch to the right-handed Rosario went up and in, striking Rosario’s helmet.

Rosario crouched over for several moments at scorching PNC Park – where the game-time temperature was 95 degrees – before being helped off the field by members of the Tampa Bay training staff.

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