Max Scherzer Hits the Injury List as Mets are in tie for First Place

 

As I wrote for Fox Sports New Jersey. 

As if things couldn’t get more difficult for the New York Mets, it was announced before Wednesday’s double-header in Pittsburgh that starting pitcher Max Scherzer is heading back to the Injury List with left side irritation.

Both Scherzer and manager Buck Schowalter downplayed the injury as not that serious — or not as serious as the left oblique strain that kept the former Cy Young Award winner sidelined for seven weeks earlier this year.

“I don’t have one specific spot that you can point to where that hurts,” Scherzer said. “It’s just general fatigue on the whole left side.”

The Mets expect Scherzer to miss Friday’s scheduled start in Miami. He could miss a second next week when the Mets play host to the Cubs and Pirates at Citi Field.  The 38-year old Scherzer is 9-4 with a 2.26 ERA in 20 starts this season.

The Mets (85-51) have lost three straight and find themselves in a dog fight for the NL East as the Atlanta Braves tied the Mets atop the standings on Tuesday night. The Braves have won 21 of their last 26 ballgames.

The Mets hope that Scherzer is healthy enough to finish the regular season, especially with a series in Atlanta scheduled for the last weekend of the season.