Mets' Max Scherzer pulls self from start mid at-bat with side discomfort
Mets starting pitcher Max Scherzer walks through the dugout after the top of the fourth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals in an MLB baseball game at Citi Field on Wednesday, May 18, 2022. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Max Scherzer removed himself from the Mets’ game against the Cardinals during the middle of an at-bat Wednesday night.
After an 0-and-1 slider that missed for a ball to Albert Pujols, Scherzer immediately motioned to the dugout that he could not continue pitching, repeatedly saying, “I’m done.” Manager Buck Showalter, pitching coach Jeremy Hefner and athletic trainer Joe Golia visited the mound. Then he walked off with Golia and immediately headed down the tunnel to the Mets’ clubhouse.
Scherzer did not appear to be in any obvious pain. Later, the Mets said Scherzer experienced "left side discomfort" and will have medical imaging done Thursday.
In 5 2/3 innings against St. Louis, Scherzer was something less than his best self, allowing two runs (one earned) and seven hits. He struck out four and walked none. He threw 87 pitches about an inning’s worth less than normal.
The Cardinals struck for both runs in the second inning, which began with Eduardo Escobar’s throwing error allowing Juan Yepez to reach base. After Dylan Carlson doubled to right-centerfield, Pujols singled — off the first-base bag and down the line — to score both runs.
The Mets already are without two of their top six starters, with Jacob deGrom (right shoulder blade stress reaction) and Tylor Megill (right biceps tendinitis) sidelined indefinitely.
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
