Max Scherzer Is The Latest Mets Pitcher To Get On The Mend
Max Scherzer was playing like a $130 million man. Things were going according to plan at Citi Field until they weren’t. In the sixth inning, pitching to Albert Pujols with two outs, the former Cy Young Winner pulled himself out of the game after throwing a slider into the dirt. Earlier today, the baseball world found out Scherzer strained his oblique and will miss six to eight weeks. It looks that things are going from bad to worse for the Mets who have already been without Jacob deGrom for the entire season due to a stress reaction in his right scapula.
So What Does This Mean?
It doesn’t bode well for the Mets. For the entirety of Winter, they have been marketed as the sexy pick for NL champions thanks to their thunder and lightning duo of starting pitchers. Steve Cohen also did not shy away from investing in this team. Joining Scherzer in Flushing were the likes of Starling Marte, Mark Cahna, and more. However, with deGrom not pitching in a regular-season game since last July, and Mad Max out for the long-term, the Mets face an uphill battle. Their depth on the mound has been strained even further with Tyler Megill recently being put on the IL.
Obviously, it is not the end of the world in Queens, but it is starting to look a whole lot like last year. The Mets have jumped out to a six-game lead for first place in the NL East. However, they are now staring at two separate West Coast road trips. As well as another two divisional series sandwiched between them from now to the middle of June. It is certainly no walk in the park. Showdowns with the Dodgers, Giants, Padres, Phillies, and Nationals among others are all coming up. Their starters, you may ask? Check out the murderer’s row of David Peterson, Carlos Carrasco, Chris Bassitt, and Taijuan Walker. Obviously, it’s far from ideal. If they could somehow squeak out .500 baseball for the next few weeks then I’m sure Mets fans everywhere would call it a success.
Can The Mets Survive?
Historically speaking, the answer to this question is no. If you’re looking for any proof of this, look no further than the Summer of 2021. They were the division leaders for the whole season, until tragic series after tragic series against the likes of Philly and Atlanta sunk their season. The Braves, without Ronald Acuna, found some late-season momentum and rode it all the way to a World Series title. While this Mets team has shown some character in the first quarter of the season, it’s hard not to look back at other collapses in the past.
In terms of a trade, it is possible, but not plausible. There are still months left in the deadline, and the Mets showing their hand this early in the season would more than likely see them overpay for starting pitching reinforcements. While the logical option would be to wait until July or August and reassess the market then, anything could happen with the Mets. The remaining pitchers could implode, or more injuries could occur, you name it. I’m not saying that it’s guaranteed to happen, but many will tell you that the writing is on the wall. Regardless, New York baseball is about as entertaining now since the 2000 Subway Series turned World Series.
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