Mets' Max Scherzer expects to make next start after early exit in last outing
Max Scherzer #21 of the Mets pitches during the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field on Saturday, Sep. 3, 2022. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Max Scherzer hopes to make his next start as scheduled despite leaving Saturday night’s outing after five innings because of “fatigue” in his left side.
Manager Buck Showalter threw out the possibility of Scherzer’s next start being pushed back, even though the 38-year-old righthander already will have an extra day of rest before he’s scheduled to take the mound again on Friday in Miami.
“Feels pretty good today,” Showalter said. “Basically, he’s going to start with an extra day [of rest] or you push it back. I don’t foresee this as any type of IL-able injury. I think he’s going to pitch soon after the off day [on Thursday].”
Asked Sunday morning how he felt, Scherzer said: “Good. Kind of as expected. There’s nothing that’s sharp, that’s grabby. It’s kind of just dull everywhere. It’s kind of everywhere except the oblique.”
Scherzer missed more than two months this season with a strain in his left oblique. This time feels different, he said, and no medical tests are planned.
“There’s no injury,” Scherzer said. “I’m hurt, not injured.”
Said Showalter: “I think we’ve done a lot of things to try and stay ahead of things. I think he’s using the word ‘fatigue’ — it’s almost a medical thing. Guys who have pitched, they know exactly what he’s talking about. It doesn’t hurt . . . but when you’re kind of compensating a little bit, it fatigues the rest of your body. I think. I’m not in there.
“Talked to him today about a couple other things, but about that in passing. I got a pretty positive review. We’ll see. I think the big thing is going to be when he takes his work day. Where is the bite, if any?”
Extra bases
Adonis Medina, who was charged with five runs (four earned) in Saturday’s 7-1 loss to Washington, was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse to make room for Sunday’s starter, Carlos Carrasco.
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
