New York Mets ace Max Scherzer left his start during the sixth inning of Wednesday night’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals after experiencing discomfort in his left side, the team announced.
He will undergo imaging tomorrow to decipher the severity of the issue.
“No idea right now,” Scherzer said. “I have to wake up tomorrow and get in the MRI tube.”
Facing Albert Pujols with two outs in the sixth inning, the right-hander called out the team trainer to take a look at him after missing low on a slider to run the count to 2-2.
Here's the pitch that prompted Max Scherzer to call for a trainer: pic.twitter.com/crfcfxtESh
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) May 19, 2022
“I was just kind of tight all today,” Scherzer said. “I just felt a zing in my left side and I knew I was done. I’ve never kind of had left side injury before so when I felt it, I knew there was no way you could throw another pitch so just get out of there.”
After being looked at on the mound, he was escorted off the field by a trainer. Adam Ottavino proceeded to strike Pujols out to preserve a Mets 6-2 lead.
Scherzer pitched 5.2 innings on 87 pitches, allowing two runs (one earned) on seven hits with four strikeouts and no walks. It lowered his season ERA to 2.54.
“I don’t think this is a major strain,” Scherzer said. It was kind of tight and then it just sort of went. But I don’t feel like I really ripped it. It just kind of got worse. Hopefully, I got out of there quick enough to prevent a major injury. Obliques, intercostals, those things can be nasty.”
