Scherzer dominated the Rays in Friday's Grapefruit League game, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk over six innings while striking out 11.
Facing a Tampa Bay lineup made up of most of the team's likely Opening Day starters, including Randy Arozarena, Wander Franco and Yandy Diaz, Scherzer cranked up his intensity and fired 73 strikes over 100 pitches in his final spring start. The veteran right-hander posted a 2.29 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 30.6 percent strikeout rate in 2022 during his first season with the Mets, but the 38-year-old managed only 145.1 innings due to oblique issues -- his lowest total over a full MLB season since he became a regular starter in 2009.
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Mets' Max Scherzer: Gets nod for Opening Day
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Scherzer will start Opening Day against the Marlins on Thursday.
Scherzer will draw the Opening Day nod in his second season with the Mets, earning the spot over the newly acquired Justin Verlander. Scherzer was especially sharp in 2022 with New York, posting a career-low 2.29 ERA while striking out 173 batters over 145.1 innings in 23 starts.
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Mets' Max Scherzer: Dominates defending champs
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Scherzer gave up four hits and a walk over seven scoreless innings while striking out eight in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros.
Facing a Houston lineup that featured only two big names in Alex Bregman and Jose Abreu, Scherzer appeared to be more than ready for Opening Day. The veteran right-hander has a 14:1 K:BB through 11.2 innings this spring while allowing only one run, and the 38-year-old is showing no signs that his dominance is slipping. Aside from the pandemic season, Scherzer hasn't posted an ERA of 3.00 or higher since 2014, and he's delivered a sub-1.00 WHIP in six of the last eight campaigns.
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Mets' Max Scherzer: Set to start on Opening Day
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Scherzer is expected to receive the Mets' Opening Day starting nod March 30 in Miami, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports.
The Mets had two excellent choices in Scherzer and Justin Verlander, but it will be "Mad Max" getting the call for the opener. Verlander is set up to take the ball for the team's home opener April 6 versus the Marlins. Scherzer will be matched up against Sandy Alcantara on Opening Day.
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Mets' Max Scherzer: Dominant against Team Nicaragua
Rotowire
Scherzer struck out nine batters over three innings in an exhibition game against Team Nicaragua on Wednesday. The right-hander gave up two runs on a hit and a walk.
Former Royals prospect Cheslor Cuthbert took him deep to lead off the second inning, but otherwise Scherzer was dominant over 68 pitches (48 strikes) against a lineup with very little big-league experience. The 38-year-old threw only 145.1 innings last year in his first campaign with the Mets -- his lowest total over a full season since he became a regular starter in 2009 -- but as long as he can stay healthy there's little reason to think he won't post elite ratios again in 2023.
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Mets' Max Scherzer: Tagged for seven unearned Friday
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Scherzer gave up seven unearned runs in 2.2 innings during Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Nationals, allowing five hits and striking out one.
The veteran right-hander was having a little fun trying out different strategies to exploit the new pitch clock and use it to his advantage by messing up hitters' timing, but his experiments back-fired in the third inning when he got charged with a balk, and some shaky defense by Luis Guillorme at shortstop contributed to an eight-run frame for Washington. This outing will be long forgotten by the time Opening Day rolls around, and Scherzer's 6:0 K:BB through his first 4.2 spring innings is a far better indicator of where he is in his preparations for the regular season.
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Mets' Max Scherzer: Spring debut coming Sunday
Rotowire
Scherzer is scheduled to make his first Grapefruit League start Sunday against the Nationals, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports.
Scherzer is unlikely to work more than two innings while he pitches in a competitive setting for the first time since Game 1 of the Mets' wild-card round series against the Padres on Oct. 7, when he surrendered seven runs -- including four home runs -- in 4.2 innings. The poor postseason start and a pair of oblique-related stints on the injured list were just about the only blemishes on an otherwise excellent first season in New York for Scherzer, who produced a 2.29 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 173:24 K:BB across 145.1 innings. While those numbers would normally make Scherzer the clear-cut choice for the Opening Day starting nod for the majority of teams, he'll face competition for those duties from Justin Verlander, whom the Mets signed to a two-year, $86 million contract this winter following a Cy Young-winning season in Houston.
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Mets' Max Scherzer: Serves up four homers in Game 1
Rotowire
Scherzer took the loss in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series against the Padres on Friday, allowing seven runs on seven hits -- including four home runs -- over 4.2 innings. He struck out four and did not issue a walk.
Afterward, the veteran right-hander explained that there was nothing physically wrong with him, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Scherzer said he simply wasn't getting his usual ride on his fastball and he wasn't sure why. Jacob deGrom (blister) will try to keep the Mets' season alive in Game 2 of the best-of-three series.
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Mets' Max Scherzer: Gets nod for Game 1
Rotowire
Manager Buck Showalter confirmed that Scherzer will start in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card series against the Padres, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.
Scherzer finished the regular season with a 2.29 ERA and 0.91 WHIP, and he will now begin the postseason at the top of the rotation. The Mets will keep their options open for the following games, with Chris Bassitt and Jacob deGrom as the main candidates to start in Game 2.
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Mets' Max Scherzer: Knocked around in loss
Rotowire
Scherzer (11-5) took the loss to Atlanta on Saturday, allowing four runs on nine hits while striking out four and walking none over 5.2 innings.
Scherzer fell victim to the long ball, giving up three of his four earned runs on two homers. He tossed 71 of 101 pitches for strikes across 5.2 frames. The veteran did not seem to have it in Saturday's appearance, allowing nine hits and striking out four batters, both of which were the second worst single-game totals for him this season. Despite the lackluster performance, he finishes the regular season with a still-impressive 2.29 ERA along with a 0.91 WHIP.
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Mets' Max Scherzer: Six perfect innings in return
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Scherzer (10-4) threw six perfect innings to earn the win in Milwaukee on Monday. He struck out nine.
Scherzer was at the top of his game, but manager Buck Showalter pulled the right-hander after 68 pitches in what was Scherzer's first start back from an oblique injury. While he didn't get a chance to continue his bid for a perfect game, Scherzer picked up his 200th career win and helped the Mets clinch a postseason berth. He should be able to up his pitch count in his subsequent starts as he prepares himself for more important games in the playoffs.
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Mets' Max Scherzer: Returns from IL
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The Mets reinstated Scherzer (oblique) from the 15-day injured list ahead of his scheduled start Monday against the Brewers, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.
Scherzer will be rejoining the Mets for the final two and a half weeks of the season after he was cleared to return from the IL following his rehab start at Triple-A Syracuse last Wednesday. He struck out seven over 3.2 innings in his outing with Syracuse, allowing one earned run on three hits and a walk. Scherzer tossed only 59 pitches in that outing, so he could face a light workload restriction in Monday's contest. The three-time Cy Young Award winner will line up for a two-start week, with his second turn set to come Sunday in Oakland.
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Mets' Max Scherzer: Starting Monday
Rotowire
Scherzer (oblique) will be reinstated from the 15-day injured list to start Monday's game against the Brewers, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
Scherzer made a rehab start at Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday and allowed a run on three hits and a walk while striking out seven in 3.2 innings. He apparently felt good afterward since manager Buck Showalter confirmed Saturday that Scherzer will return following a minimal stay on the 15-day IL.
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Mets' Max Scherzer: Rehabbing at Triple-A
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Scherzer (oblique) is scheduled to make a rehab start Wednesday for Triple-A Syracuse, Nate Mink of The Syracuse Post-Standard reports.
Assuming Scherzer comes out of the rehab start without any renewed discomfort in his left oblique, he'll likely be activated from the 15-day injured list next Monday and start in Milwaukee that day. The three-time Cy Young Award winner is on the shelf for the second time this season due to an oblique injury, with the previous one costing him nearly a month.
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Mets' Max Scherzer: Targeting Sept. 19 return
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The Mets are hoping to activate Scherzer (side) from the injured list when first eligible Sept. 19, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
Scherzer has not had any hiccups since landing on the injured list last week, and when asked if Scherzer would return the first chance he can, manager Buck Showalter responded, "That's the hope." The next step in Scherzer's recovery will be either a simulated game or a rehab start with Triple-A Syracuse -- either could take place Wednesday.
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Mets' Max Scherzer: Bullpen session goes as planned
Rotowire
Scherzer (oblique) threw a bullpen session Sunday without issue, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.
The bullpen session was the first Scherzer has thrown since landing on the injured list, and it went off without a hitch. Scherzer will be eligible to be activated Sept. 19, and as things stand there is reason to believe he will return to action that day.
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Mets' Max Scherzer: Going on IL
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Mets manager Buck Showalter said Wednesday that Scherzer has been placed on the 15-day injured list with left oblique irritation, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
In his most recent start Saturday against the Nationals, Scherzer experienced what Showalter termed as "fatigue" in his left side. The Mets had been hopeful that the injury would be resolved after a few days of rest, but with Scherzer still not feeling up to par physically four days later, the team opted to move him to the IL. David Peterson will presumably step back into the rotation Friday in Miami to replace Scherzer, who won't be eligible to come off the IL until Sept. 19. According to Tim Healey of Newsday, the Mets are expecting Scherzer to be ready to go when first eligible, though his availability will likely hinge on how his injured oblique responds to throwing off a mound and facing hitters.
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Mets' Max Scherzer: Uncertain for next start
Rotowire
The Mets will likely decide Wednesday whether or not Scherzer (side) will make his next scheduled start, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports.
Scherzer left his last outing with side soreness, and while manager Buck Showalter said afterward he hoped Scherzer would not miss any more action, there is still a chance he could do so. If Scherzer does not take the ball Friday when his spot in the rotation comes up, the Mets could push him back a day or two or skip his turn altogether. Scherzer's status will be updated again when the Mets announce what they ultimately plan to do.
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Mets' Max Scherzer: Manager downplays injury
Rotowire
Manager Buck Showalter said after Saturday's game that the team is hopeful Scherzer (side) will make his next start as scheduled, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.
Scherzer was lifted after only 67 pitches Saturday with what was described as a "fatigued" feeling in his left side. However, the skipper said Scherzer "probably could have continued to pitch but just didn't feel it was a good idea," per Tim Britton of The Athletic. While it sounds like Scherzer could make his date with the Marlins next week, we may not know his status for certain until after his next bullpen session.
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Mets' Max Scherzer: Leaves with left side fatigue
Rotowire
Scherzer left Saturday's game against the Nationals "feeling fatigued on his left side," Tim Britton of The Athletic reports.
Scherzer was chasing his 200th career win, but this issue forced him from the game after only 67 pitches. He should be considered day-to-day for now. If there are any concerns about Scherzer's oblique, the Mets may have to give the right-hander some down time.
