Rangers pitcher Max Scherzer has yet to pitch in the playoffs because of a muscle strain in his shoulder, but hopes to be available in the ALCS. Ryan S. Sun/Associated Press

ARLINGTON, Texas — Max Scherzer declared himself “ready to go” after throwing another bullpen session and doing fielding drills Friday, two days before the Texas Rangers open the AL Championship Series.

The Rangers haven’t said whether the three-time Cy Young Award winner will be on their ALCS roster, and that decision doesn’t have to be made until Sunday before the Game 1 at Houston. Scherzer hasn’t pitched in a game since Sept. 12 because of a muscle strain in his shoulder.

“I feel good. Recovered, checked all of the boxes I possibly can,” Scherzer said during a workout at Globe Life Field before the team traveled to Houston. “So I’m ready to go.”

Texas Manager Bruce Bochy, who didn’t speak with reporters on Friday, and pitching coach Mike Maddux have expressed being encouraged by Scherzer’s progress.

After a bullpen session in full uniform, Scherzer fielded grounders up both lines at Globe Life Field, and also did a few plays covering first base.

“I do two days of PFP in the year, one day in spring training and one day before postseason,” Scherzer said with a grin, referring to pitchers’ fielding practice.

Scherzer said he was confident he would get batters out, and knew he would have to bring his A-game against the Astros. But he didn’t know how long he could go in a game.

“I can’t answer that question. It’s just going to be play it by ear,” Scherzer said. “I’ll just be in communication with Boch and Mad Dog (Maddux), and we’ll see how this shakes out. … We’ve had conversations, if I do feel something, I’ve got to come out the game.”

The bullpen session followed a simulated game Wednesday, when Scherzer threw more than 60 pitches and had several up-and-down segments.

“Very encouraged, the fact that he threw 68 against hitters, maintained his stuff throughout all 68,” Maddux said Friday of Scherzer’s pitch count, speaking before the workouts. “He didn’t skip a beat from 1 to 68. That was the encouraging part. Need to sharpen up a little bit.”

TWINS: Star Byron Buxton had arthroscopic surgery on his troublesome right knee with the goal of alleviating the irritation related to patellar tendinitis and returning to center field next season.

The recovery timeline for Buxton is projected to be much shorter than after the cleanup procedure he had on the knee last year, Falvey said in a season-ending interview with reporters.

Buxton was brought along slowly during spring training and started the regular season as the designated hitter. His knee failed to improve enough for the Twins to feel comfortable putting him in the outfield. He last played on Aug. 1, when he was sidelined by a strained right hamstring. The Twins added him to the roster during the AL Division Series against Houston this week as an injury replacement for first baseman Alex Kirilloff, and he made an appearance Wednesday as a pinch hitter in the Game 4 loss.

Buxton, who turns 30 on Nov. 29, has five years left on the $100 million contract he signed prior to the 2022 season. The second overall pick in the 2012 amateur draft made his major league debut in 2015 and has not made it through a full season without landing on the injured list.

Brewers starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff could miss the 2024 season after having shoulder surgery on Friday. Lynne Sladky/Associated Press

BREWERS: Right-hander Brandon Woodruff could miss the 2024 season after surgery to repair the anterior capsule in his throwing shoulder.

The Brewers said Woodruff is expected to sit out most, if not all, of next season. The injury caused the two-time All-Star to miss the Brewers’ NL Wild Card Series loss to Arizona.

Woodruff already had missed four months of the regular season with a subscapular strain in his shoulder. Woodruff made two starts before going on the injured list, then returned in early August and made nine more starts.

He was outstanding when available, going 5-1 with a 2.28 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 67 innings.

BRAVES: Right-hander Kyle Wright is expected to miss next season after surgery to repair a torn capsule in his pitching shoulder.

After leading the majors with 21 wins last season, Wright underwent a cortisone injection in January to deal with lingering shoulder pain, forcing him to start the season on the injured list.

He made his debut on April 11 but got through only five starts – going 0-1 with a 5.79 ERA – before returning to the injured list.

CARDINALS: Authorities are seeking at least five people in an armed robbery of the St. Louis Cardinals complex in the Dominican Republic.

Dominican Republic police spokesman Diego Pesqueira told The Associated Press that the suspects bound and gagged a security guard and stole watches, rings, necklaces and other items from athletes and personnel.

Pesqueira said the suspects used the guard’s shoelaces to tie his wrists and ankles together. No one was injured, and no shots were fired, he said.

WHITE SOX: Hitting coach José Castro and first base coach Daryl Boston were fired by the White Sox, who reassigned bullpen coach Curt Hasler and assistant hitting coach Chris Johnson.

Castro was hired last November, and Chicago went 61-101 under first-year manager Pedro Grifol The White Sox were 25th with a .238 batting average and tied for 20th with 171 home runs.