Max Scherzer wants to face Rockies on Sunday, but only if it can ruin their NL West title chances

The Rockies are looking to clinch the first division title in franchise history

Friday night, with their win over the Nationals (COL 5, WAS 2), the Rockies officially clinched a spot in the 2018 postseason. They will be, at worst, the second wild card team. It's the first time in franchise history the Rockies are going to the postseason in back-to-back years.

The Rockies do of course hold a one-game lead over the Dodgers in the NL West. They can clinch the first division title in franchise history as soon as Saturday. It'll take another win over the Nationals and a Dodgers loss to the Giants. If only one of the two happens (or neither of the two), the NL West title will have to wait another day.

And, if it does have to wait until Sunday, Nationals ace Max Scherzer wants to pitch to make life miserable for the Rockies. He lines up to start Sunday but Washington currently has their starter listed as TBD. If the NL West title is up for grabs, Scherzer will pitch. Otherwise he'll be shut down for the season. From MLB.com's Jamal Collier:

"If there's an elimination game on the line here against the Rockies, they want me to pitch," Scherzer said. "And for me the way I look at it, if there's a playoff atmosphere on the line where somebody can get knocked out, that's a heck of an environment to pitch in.

"Even though we're playing for nothing, at least we can be able to toe the rubber knowing that the atmosphere here with the crowd and the other team would be playing at probably the highest level of any point I would face this year. Why wouldn't I want to compete in that?"

The Nationals have already been eliminated from postseason contention, so Sunday's regular season finale is meaningless for them. Scherzer has already reached 300 strikeouts for the season and his Cy Young case is as strong as it's going to get. (He'd have to throw 107 2/3 scoreless innings to pass Jacob deGrom in ERA.) Besides, starting in Coors Field isn't the best way for a pitcher to improve his numbers.

Sunday's game is potentially meaningful for the Rockies though, and when you've already been eliminated from postseason contention like the Nationals, one of the few things that keep a team motivated is playing spoiler. Scherzer and the Nationals could make like difficult for the Rockies on the final day of the season. 

Unless the Rockies clinch the division title Saturday, it sure looks like they'll have to beat the two-time reigning Cy Young winner on Sunday to win their first division title.