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New York Mets right-hander Max Scherzer asked to be retired Wednesday night against the St. Louis Cardinals (STL-NYM GameTracker) with complaints down the left flank. Scherzer will undergo additional testing on Thursday.
Scherzer made his exit in the sixth inning after apparently feeling uneasy during his 87th pitch of the night. Here’s a look:
And here’s another angle where Scherzer does seem to indicate a concern with his left side:
Scherzer has a 2.54 ERA this season in 49 ⅔ innings with 59 strikeouts and 11 walks – in other words, vintage Scherzer. Now 37, he’s in the first year of a two-year contract he signed with the Mets last offseason. Scherzer was a workaholic for much of his career. However, last year he struggled with a groin problem, a tricep injury and a dead arm towards the end of the season.
Losing a pitcher like Scherzer would be a huge blow to any team, but it would be of particular concern for the Mets. That’s because the NL East frontrunners are already without ace Jacob deGrom, who has yet to serve in 2022 due to a stress reaction in his shoulder blade diagnosed late in spring training. While deGrom is making strides, there’s still no clear timeline for his return to the rotation. Right-hander Tylor Megill is also on the injured list with a biceps infection.