New York Mets co-ace Max Scherzer suffered a dog bite on his pitching hand, the New York Post reported Saturday. According to the Post, one of Scherzer's own dogs bit him, but the injury is not expected to delay his eventual return from the oblique injury that has sidelined him since he exited his last start on May 18. The Post originally reported that the injury was to Scherzer's left hand, but a team official later said he was bitten on his throwing hand.
Scherzer is still expected to return to the Mets' rotation at some point in July, barring any setbacks.
This season, Scherzer has pitched to a 2.54 ERA and 5.36 K/BB ratio in 49 ⅔ innings across eight starts. In other words, the future Hall of Famer, even at age 37, remains capable of pitching at near peak level. Scherzer's absence from the Mets' rotation is particularly notable in light of the fact that Jacob deGrom has yet to pitch this season after being diagnosed with a scapular stress reaction late in spring training. Despite the pitching injuries, Buck Showalter's club is in first place in the NL East and on pace for 105 wins.
As for Scherzer's unlikely injury to his right hand, it comes mere days after teammate and shortstop Francisco Lindor was scratched from Friday night's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers because he accidentally slammed his fingers in the door to his hotel room.
