New York Mets right-hander Max Scherzer asked to come out of his start Wednesday night against the St. Louis Cardinals (STL-NYM GameTracker) with what was later announced as left side discomfort. Scherzer will undergo additional testing on Thursday.
Scherzer made his exit in the sixth inning after appearing to experience discomfort during his 87th pitch of the night. Here's a look:
And here's another angle in which Scherzer indeed seems to be indicating a concern with his left side:
Scherzer this season has pitched to a 2.54 ERA in 49 ⅔ innings with 59 strikeouts and 11 walks – vintage Scherzer, in other words. Now 37, he's in the first year of a two-year pact he signed with the Mets this past offseason. Scherzer has been a workhorse throughout much of his career. Last year, however, he dealt with a groin problem, a triceps injury, and a dead arm late in the season.
The loss of a pitcher like Scherzer would be a grave blow for any team, but it would be particularly concerning for the Mets. That's because the NL East leaders are already without ace Jacob deGrom, who has yet to pitch in 2022 because of a stress reaction in his scapula that was diagnosed late in spring training. While deGrom is making progress, there's still no clear time-table for his return to the rotation. As well, right-hander Tylor Megill is on the injured list with biceps inflammation.
