Max Scherzer Joins deGrom on Injury Sideline
When it rains, it pours. And when it comes to the New York Mets, it usually rains like a monsoon.
A day after reports surfaced that Jacob deGrom would miss at least four weeks with a stress reaction to his right shoulder blade, word surfaced Friday night and was confirmed on Saturday that Max Scherzer could miss time due to hamstring tightness.
It is not clear how long Scherzer would be out, if at all, but the injury does throw a monkey wrench into the Mets plans.
When asked by reporters on Friday if Scherzer was going on Opening Day, Manager Buck Schowalter wouldn’t say.
Buck Showalter won't say if Max Scherzer will start Opening Day in Jacob deGrom's absence: pic.twitter.com/8xBH0bEIbY
— SNY (@SNYtv) April 1, 2022
On Saturday, Scherzer said he has had hamstring tightness before and came back relatively quickly.
“Don’t know,” Scherzer said when asked when he would pitch again. “I’ve had these little hamstring injuries before. They go away in days. Fortunately enough I’ve been pretty good to not have serious hamstring injuries. I’ve had just little hiccups.
“I think this is the same thing. For me, it’s just a day-to-day thing … but when you’re dealing with hammies, you never know.”
If Scherzer can’t go next Thursday when the Mets open the 2022 season in Washington D.C., then it would likely be Taijuan Walker or Chris Bassist would would get the ball.
Walker went 7-11 with a 4.47 ERA last year, but was an All-Star the first half of the season. Bassitt, acquired after the lockout via trade with Oakland, went 12-4 with a 3.15 ERA last year with the Athletics.
The Mets were already looking at having either David Peterson or Tyler McGill take up deGrom’s spot in the rotation. If Scherzer ends up on the injury list, both pitchers likely remain on the roster.