Will the Nationals have to start the season without the ace and the reigning NL Cy Young winner, Max Scherzer?
Maybe, but let’s pump the brakes on the overreaction and sensationalism.
Scherzer was revealed to have a stress fracture in the right ring finger that is “essentially healed,” though he doesn’t want to discuss whether he’ll be ready to take the ball on opening day. Via washingtonpost.com:
“I don’t even want to comment on [Opening Day], because I don’t even know what I’m going to be able to do or not,” said Scherzer. “It’d be unfair for me to even project or even talk about that.”
Scherzer reportedly played catch on Thursday and manager Dusty Baker told reporters that the Nationals do have to be prepared to start the season without Scherzer, so this isn’t nothing.
Still, is it really something big? There will be alarmists out there who frame this is a huge deal that the Nationals could begin the season without their ace, but the reality is that not starting on opening day could mean something as insignificant as not starting until the third or fourth game or that maybe he just misses one turn.
Let’s keep in mind this isn’t an elbow or shoulder issue. It’s a knuckle and it’s not even the thumb, index or middle finger.
So, monitor this issue, yes. Think it’s going to matter much in the 2017 season? Nah, not just yet. Hold off on that.
Quite simply: If you want to draft Scherzer in your fantasy baseball draft, follow the CBS Sports rankings with impunity and worry not about any “he might miss opening day” concerns.
