Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Things haven’t gone totally right for Max Scherzer in a Mets uniform.
The former Cy Young, the future Hall of Fame member, the presently injured. Scherzer, 38, is now pitching with discomfort below his right scapula, or the area around his shoulder blade according to the New York Post.
“I’m doing everything I can to get through this without having it linger through the rest of the season,’’ Scherzer said. “I’m in a good spot… I’m not going backward [with the injury], I’m moving forward. That’s the good part.”
Unfortunately for the Mets, Schherzer’s last pitching performance, and first since his 10-game suspension for illegal substances was anything but good. He allowed six runs on eight hits and two home runs to a then 12-17 Detroit Tigers team that ranks 29th in runs scored this season.
Scherzer said he didn’t get hurt during the outing. Which is a positive in some way. But he didn’t say it got better. He appeared happy that he was able to get through the outing without the injury worsening.
In 2019 with the Nationals, Scherzer had a similar, more serious version of this injury that caused him to miss several weeks.
“That’s how bad this can get,’’ Scherzer said. “I respect that. I’ve learned from that and I’m trying like hell to not have that happen.”
Scherzer should know his body better than anyone. But the last time the Mets let a player dictate his injury status, Jacob deGrom ended up avoiding the field for the remainder of his contract.
Nothing about the current iteration of Scherzer screams a pitcher that should be throwing every five days on a team with World Series hopes. His standard numbers are horrific with a 5.56 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP. Scherzer has pitched six innings just once this season, his first start. His velocity, which has fallen since 2019, has taken its steepest drop yet with 0.7 miles per hour gone on his fastball and offspeed pitches.
Opposing batters are swinging more at Scherzer’s pitches and making more contact. He’s also striking out 10% fewer batters and walking 6.2% more since last season.
The struggle is the Mets can’t afford for Scherzer to not pitch. He’s paid to be the ace – alongside Justin Verlander who already missed the first month of the season – and he hasn’t delivered.
“Just don’t break,’’ Scherzer said of his goal while pitching in his current condition. “I’m trying like hell not to join the IL. I’m fighting through this and doing everything I can. But this is the big leagues and no one cares if you’re hurt. You’ve got to go out there and perform, so I get it.”
The Mets have thrown Joey Lucchesi out on short rest despite him not being fully recovered from Tommy John surgery. Carlos Carrasco is unreliable on the mound and his health is an even bigger question. The team took a huge blow with the ironman Jose Quintana scheduled to be out until the All-Star break. David Peterson cannot make it in the majors. Who knows how much Kodai Senga will pitch this season? How much can Tylor Megill go after his injury woes in 2022?
The Mets have struck out on plenty of more reliable options in free agency the last two seasons, opting instead for the big money to the Scherzer’s and Verlander’s of the world. Their pitching staff isn’t young, it isn’t cheap, and it isn’t locked up for a long time. Maybe Billy Eppler, like was seen during his tenure as Los Angeles Angels general manager, can’t build a starting rotation.
The caveat of course is their pitching development has given them next to nothing. Whether it’s injury or pedigree there is no one saving the Mets in the minors right now. The Mets need to rethink their starting pitching strategy. It’s hard to believe they’ll continue to be the worst-performing staff in the majors but if it doesn’t get any better by June then they could be selling at this year’s deadline.
