Max Scherzer has agreed to a new contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. 

Scherzer signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the Blue Jays. Scherzer can make up to $10 million in incentives. 

Scherzer made 17 starts for the Blue Jays in 2025 and had a 5.19 ERA. His main saving grace was that his walks per nine innings were still low at 2.4. 

However, Scherzer did show some improvement in the playoffs. He had a 3.77 ERA in three starts. His main concern was that his FIP was 5.58. This suggests Scherzer may have been getting lucky in the playoffs rather than pitching better.  

Scherzer made his first of eight All-Star teams with the Detroit Tigers in 2013. He had a 2.90 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP. These stats were enough for him to win the American League Cy Young Award.

The Washington Nationals signed Scherzer to a contract in the 2014-15 offseason. He made an All-Star team in every one of his seasons with the Nationals, except 2020, when there was no All-Star Game. Scherzer had a 2.40 ERA in six appearances in the 2019 playoffs. He played an instrumental part in the team’s World Series win that season. 

Scherzer was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2021 and signed with the New York Mets in 2022. The Texas Rangers traded for Scherzer in 2023. Scherzer won his second World Series with the Rangers, although he was a smaller part of this team. He had a 6.52 ERA in three starts in the playoffs. 

Scherzer provided important veteran leadership for the Blue Jays on their way to the 2025 World Series. They hope he can build on his playoff improvements and continue to be a clubhouse leader. 

The Houston Astros earned their first win of the ALCS in Game 3 Wednesday night, defeating the Texas Rangers 8-5 on the road. Houston now trails 2-1 in the best-of-seven series and can even the score with another road victory on Thursday.

In his first start since suffering a muscle strain in early September, Max Scherzer was dull in his 28th career postseason appearance. Though he became the second pitcher ever to make postseason starts for five different teams, his playoff debut for Texas was not memorable for good reason. He allowed five runs on five innings in four innings of work before exiting.

“I thought he had good stuff,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy told reporters. “He’s a little rusty. It’s been a month since he’s been out there. He’s only going to get better. He feels good. That’s the good news.”

Scherzer told reporters after the game that he had mixed feelings about his performance, arguing that he did better than the box score might suggest.

“In these situations, look there’s some bad in this I get it, but that’s what you kinda gotta tune out and look at the good,” Scherzer said. “Look, I made some mistakes, I get it. I got punished for it. There were some good things I did as well. … I’m not going to sit here and beat myself down.”

The Astros and Rangers have now played three closely contested games, with the pair matching up well on the mound and at the plate. Texas took Games 1 and 2 on the road by 2-0 and 5-4 scores, respectively, meaning that there has not yet been a home win for either team heading into Game 4.

Both teams are reaching the bottom of their rotations as the series reaches a potential midway point, as the Rangers’ Andrew Heaney and Astros’ Jose Urquidy are expected to match up this evening. Urquidy was one of Houston’s heroes in the ALDS, as he led the team to a win over the Twins to clinch that series. Heaney had several bad outings for Texas during the regular season, inflating his ERA, but also recorded 151 strikeouts in 28 starts.

Texas Rangers pitcher Max Scherzer will miss at least the rest of the regular season after suffering a teres major injury in Tuesday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays. He could also miss the postseason, though the Rangers were already on the cusp of losing a playoff berth before Scherzer’s setback.

The teres major is a small muscle in the shoulder, and while Scherzer will not require surgery to treat the injury, the strain will prevent him from appearing on the mound again for the foreseeable future. In addition to Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi, the Rangers have now lost three top pitchers to injury in a single season.

“In some ways, I was almost relieved that it’s not worse,” Scherzer told reporters Wednesday. “It’s not surgery. Talking about the doctors, I fully expect to make a full recovery.”

With an 81-64 record, Texas recently overtook the Seattle Mariners for second place in the AL West division. Both teams are within two games of the first-place Houston Astros, setting up a tense three-way fight for the division with less than 20 games remaining.

The two losing teams in the division battle will have to resort to the AL Wild Card to make the playoffs. If the season ended after last night’s games, both the Rangers and Mariners would earn postseason berths with the two final spots in the Wild Card, but the Blue Jays are just one game behind Seattle with an 80-66 record.

When the Rangers acquired Scherzer from the Mets at the trade deadline, giving away top prospect Luisangel Acuna in the process, the plan was for him to fill in as the team’s ace during a massive playoff push. Instead, Scherzer struggled at times, earning a 4-2 record and 3.20 ERA in eight starts. In a highly anticipated matchup against his Astros rival and former teammate Justin Verlander, Houston batters ended his night early and went on to win the game 12-3.

Following Scherzer’s injury, many sportsbooks made the Rangers the third favorite to win the AL West despite their current half-game lead over the Mariners for second. The team’s offense, stellar all year, will need to continue providing run support as the regular season quickly comes to a close.

In a highly anticipated pitching matchup between former teammates Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, the Houston Astros soundly defeated the Texas Rangers 12-3 to maintain a one-game lead in the AL West.

The game Wednesday night was the first time Verlander and Scherzer had ever faced off. The two future Hall-of-Famers were teammates on the Detroit Tigers from 2010 to 2014 and again earlier this season with the New York Mets. They were traded to opposing AL West rivals at the trade deadline as both the Astros and Rangers seek a hotly contested division title.

But in a game many expected to be closely contested with two aces on the mound, the Astros quickly overwhelmed Scherzer and took a 7-1 lead after three innings. Scherzer did not make it to the fourth inning, but Verlander went on to pitch seven, allowing a home run in the first inning but allowing no further runs while striking out six batters. Houston tacked on another run in the fifth and four in the ninth to cruise to a 12-3 win.

“I couldn’t get all the way through the ball, couldn’t explode through the ball,” Scherzer said after the game. “I can go out there and compete. I went out there against Minnesota last time kind of with a similar issue and was able to compete and locate. … Today, just didn’t get it done and didn’t locate the ball well enough.”

In 26 starts this season, Scherzer has earned a 12-6 record with a 3.91 ERA, his highest since 2011. Though he has made several solid starts for Texas, he has not provided the punch many expected him to as the team fights for the division. While the Astros recently took the lead with an 80-61 record and the surging Mariners sit just behind them at 78-61, the Rangers are now three games back at 76-63.

After leading the division for most of the year, if the season ended today, the Rangers would not even have a postseason berth, as they are currently a half-game out of the last Wild Card spot behind the Toronto Blue Jays. Seven games against the Mariners at the end of the month may end up determining the season.

New York Mets owner Steve Cohen offered his thoughts Wednesday about his team’s recent activity ahead of the trade deadline. After entering the season with the highest payroll in MLB history, New York currently has a 50-57 record and has traded six key players in the span of one week.

In an effort to rebuild and acquire young prospects, the Mets have become aggressive sellers at the deadline, sending away Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, David Robertson, Tommy Pham, Mark Canha and Dominic Leone. Far removed from the win-now attitude they assumed before the season, the Mets now more closely resemble extremely young upstarts.

The team has arguably thrown away the 2023 season in favor of a more secure future, though Cohen remained coy about the organization’s plans going forward.

“I think the expectations were really high this year and my guess is next year they’ll be a lot lower,” Cohen said. “I can’t speak to what’s going to happen in the offseason. I’m opportunistic. I don’t want to roll a team out that we’re going to be embarrassed about. But, we also know that spending a fortune doesn’t guarantee a trip to the playoffs. I think we’ve got to look and see what we need. Obviously we need starting pitching, and that’s the key thing.”

As disappointing as the Mets have been this season, categorically failing to extract nearly enough from its prohibitively expensive starting rotation and underperforming bullpen, the prospects the team has acquired in the past week do offer some solace. Former Astros No. 1 prospect Drew Gilbert and former Rangers No. 3 prospect Luisangel Acuna stand out as especially promising future MLB players.

“We thought we got a great return for the people we ended up trading,” Cohen said. “We weren’t sure that was going to happen. We weren’t just going to do deals for the sake of doing deals. I would have kept the players if it turned out it was going to be a mediocre return. It’s a moment in time when other clubs were thinking very short term and I was thinking more intermediate, long term. And so, I was able to take advantage of that.”

Braves star outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. praised Luisangel, his younger brother, and his development in the Rangers’ farm system. He may one day face his brother as a division rival.

“My brother is more advanced and better than I was at his age. Maybe I was as talented, but not as advanced,” Acuna said through an interpreter.

In his first two seasons as the Mets’ owner, it’s clear that Cohen has learned the hard way that he cannot buy his way into the playoffs. The organization is taking a different path and did not hesitate to abruptly change course when it was not getting results.

“When you look at the probabilities, what we were at, 15% (to make the postseason)?” Cohen said. “And other teams were getting better, so you have to take the odds down from that. So, if you’re going to have a 12% chance of just getting into the playoffs, those are pretty crummy odds. I’ve said before – hope is not a strategy.”

The MLB trade deadline has been a busy time for the New York Mets, as they have shipped two-star pitchers so far but more moves could potentially be done before August 1.

On Friday, the Mets traded right-hand reliever David Robertson to the Miami Marlins for two minor leaguers, 18-year-old middle infielder Marco Vargas and 19-year-old switch-hitting catcher Ronald Hernandez.

The day after, the Mets starting right-hand pitcher Max Scherzer talked with ownership on the team’s direction after the Robertson trade, to then get shipped off to the Texas Rangers on Saturday for a shortstop, second baseman, and center fielder in 21-year-old Luisangel Acuña.

“I do want to be clear that it’s not a rebuild. It’s not a fire sale,” General Manager Billy Epplers said Sunday at Citi Field. “It’s not a liquidation.”

The brass for the Mets believe they are not selling, yet a big name like 40-year-old starting pitcher Justin Verlander could be next on the move potentially, with the team ranked fourth currently in NL East at 50-55 and out of playoff contention.

Asked if the Robertson trade is the first of more deals to come for the Mets, Eppler said the team is “listening to where clubs are when they call us.”

“If that economic equation points to us making the deal that’s best for the organization, then we’re gonna have to consider it,” Eppler said.

Robertson, 38. was not surprised he was shipped, as he said following the trade. “I figured I would be moved, I just didn’t know where,” Robertson said Thursday night. “Just really didn’t have an idea of where, so it’s kind of a shock, but it’s part of this game.”

After 29-year-old Mets closer Edwin Diaz injured his knee during a World Baseball Classic celebration back in the spring, closer Robertson took over the ninth-inning role and finished the game. He has been a solid replacement before the trade, posting a 2.05 ERA over 44 innings, striking out 48 and saving 14 games.

The Marlins, who are right in the playoff mix, traded their 32-year-old reliever Dylan Floro to the Minnesota Twins for 30-year-old reliever Jorge Lopez last week. Robertson joins them in a revamped relief group for Miami that second in the NL East at 57-49 at the moment.

The Mets attempted to build a team that was playoff caliber, but it never was meant to be due to injuries and the efforts in replacing those players just didn’t work in the bullpen. Their team structure just never could mesh despite re-signing of Diaz and 30-year-old center fielder Brandon Nimmo, along with adding stars Verlander and Scherzer in the last two offseasons.

“It’s not a complete surprise. You knew this was a possibility,” Nimmo said after Thursday’s 2-1 win over the Nationals. “But it’s setting in that this is the path that we’re going down. That’s never an easy pill to swallow. You can’t sit here and say you that were completely blindsided by it. You had to know this was a possibility. You were just hoping that we could do enough in this last week and a half or so to maybe give it a shot and go and see what we could do in the last two months. I think they kind of made it clear the direction we’re going in. The rest of us just have to take in stride, keep going out there and try to win games.”

But now with Scherzer allowing the trade to go through since he waived his no-trade clause, it is clear that the Mets are in the first steps of unloading star players with big payroll.

The Rangers gave up the younger brother of Atlanta Braves superstar Ronald Acuna Jr. with Luisangel in the Scherzer trade with the Mets. Acuna was hitting .315 with seven home runs, 51 RBIs, and 42 stolen bases in 82 games for Double-A Frisco in the Rangers’ system.

The former Mets ace will opt in for the Rangers, as New York also sent cash to Texas in the deal. Scherzer will get $22.5 million from the Rangers, while the Mets will cover more than $35 million of the remaining terms.

During the 2022 season, the former Mets pitcher was as advertised, with a 2.29 ERA in 145⅓ innings over 23 starts. But for 2023, Scherzer was inconsistent, as he was 9-4 with a 4.01 ERA, struck out 121 and walked 30 in 107⅔ innings, and allowed a National League-high 23 home runs.

The Rangers, top of the AL West with the fifth-best record in the MLB at 60-46, have solidified their pitcher rotation with the Scherzer addition. Texas will look to make a run at the playoffs as they currently have a one-game lead ahead of the Houston Astros in the AL West.

In a rare press conference Wednesday, New York Mets owner Steve Cohen took responsibility for the team’s struggles in 2023. Despite entering the season with the highest payroll in baseball, the Mets are currently fourth in the NL East with a 36-44 record.

“All is not lost yet, but it’s getting late,” Cohen said before New York’s game Wednesday, a 5-2 loss to the Brewers. “I’m preparing my management team for all possibilities. If they don’t get better, we have decisions to make at the trade deadline. That’s not my preferred end result. We’re preparing all contingencies.”

In a historic spending spree following the 2022 season, the Mets signed Justin Verlander, Kodai Senga, David Robertson and Jose Quintana while extending stars like Edwin Diaz and Brandon Nimmo. Now, the team is considering investments.

Cohen’s decision to speak to reporters is likely the result of his personal frustration, as he has already spent hundreds of millions of dollars in his short tenure as owner. He joins countless fans who are similarly upset with the team’s performance.

“It’s been incredibly frustrating,” Cohen said. “I watch every game, I watch what’s going on. Would I have expected us to be in this position at the beginning of the season? No. But here we are. It’s kind of weird. It’s kind of strange to me. I don’t know if the players are anxious. I don’t know if they’re pressing.”

The Mets’ last series win came on June 1 against the Phillies, and they have lost several since by blowing leads or pulling starters early. Though Cohen took responsibility as the owner, he also said that the players ultimately have to be the ones to overcome their struggles.

“It’s on the players. They are veterans,” Cohen said. “They have been there before … we will see if they can get their act together and string together some wins.”

For years, New York has leaned heavily on its starting pitching due to consistent woes on offense. This season, however, the offense has been generally competent, with young players like Brett Baty and Francisco Alvarez complementing more established stars, but the pitching has fallen apart.

The Mets’ starting rotation is star-studded but ranks near the bottom of the league in nearly every significant category. Starters have struggled to reach six innings consistently, which has taken its toll on a bullpen that was already missing closer Diaz following his WBC injury. Relief pitcher Adam Ottavino, who allowed the Brewers to score two runs late in Wednesday’s game, agreed with Cohen that the players could do more.

“You gotta overcome stuff. Good teams overcome stuff. We’re not overcoming stuff,” Ottavino said.

Cohen went on to say that he would not fire manager Buck Showalter or general manager Billy Eppler during the season and also plans to eventually add a president of baseball operations, long rumored to be the Brewers’ David Stearns. He also said that the team could take a number of approaches at the trade deadline, however. If the team were to sell aging stars like Max Scherzer or Verlander, Cohen would likely have to eat a significant portion of the contract, as he did when he traded catcher James McCann to the Orioles earlier this year.

New York Mets relief pitcher Drew Smith was served a 10-game suspension for MLB’s new policies addressing sticky substances. Smith was ejected as he was preparing to pitch against the Yankees in a game Tuesday night.

“They said both of my hands were too sticky,” Smith said after the game. “Really surprised, because I haven’t done anything different all year. Sweat and rosin. I don’t know what else to say. Nothing changed. It’s just, I think the process is so arbitrary. It can change from one crew to the other, and I think that’s the main issue.”

Smith became the second Mets pitcher to receive a suspension this season, as ace pitcher Max Scherzer committed the same sticky stuff violation in April. Scherzer was similarly adamant that he did not use anything illegal on the mound and complained about the inconsistency in the league’s new policies.

According to Smith, an MLB official checked his hands after the game and claimed that there were no illegal substances present. Umpire Bill Miller told a pool reporter after the game that he was not sure what was on Smith’s hands, but that it was too sticky for him to allow.

“Drew Smith was ejected because he had sticky hands,” Miller told a pool reporter. “I don’t know what’s on his hand, all I know it was sticky — sticky to the touch. It stuck to my hands when I touched it. Not only his pitching hand, but his glove hand as well.”

Smith’s ejection and suspension sparked yet another intense debate about MLB’s attempt to curb sticky substances on the mound. Many have criticized the league for forcing umpires to enforce vague rules, leading to inconsistent judgments during routine checks. Former Mets relief pitcher and SNY analyst Jerry Blevins was especially animated during post-game coverage.

“MLB didn’t treat the problem of the baseball and guys started to take advantage,” Blevins said. “Give them an inch, they take a mile. Alright. Now, it’s the spin rates that makes it an advantage for pitchers. It’s the spin rates, so now you’re treating the symptom and not the sickness. So go to the tape. You have live data that says the spin rate. It’s a simple fix. Stop being arbitrary about it.”

Unless Smith successfully appeals the ruling, the Mets will have to play 10 games without one of their key relievers. The team split its Subway Series matchups with the Yankees and will now begin a series against the Cardinals Friday.

New York Mets ace pitcher Max Scherzer has repeatedly defended his actions following an incident Wednesday in which the star was ejected for allegedly using an illegal substance on the mound. Scherzer faces a 10-day suspension for the violation but can appeal the decision.

Scherzer was ejected before the fourth inning of his start Wednesday on the road against the Los Angeles Dodgers after a heated discussion with multiple umpires. He had already been checked for substances earlier on and had been forced to switch gloves after the first inspection. Umpires were still not satisfied with the substance on Scherzer’s hands during the second inspection despite the ace’s pleas that it was “just rosin.”

“He said my hand is too sticky,” Scherzer told SNY after the game. “I said, ‘I swear on my kids’ lives, I’m not using anything else. This is sweat and rosin. Sweat and rosin.’ I keep saying it over and over, and they touch my hand, they say it’s sticky. I say, ‘Yes, it is, because it’s sweat and rosin.’ And they say it’s too sticky. They threw me out because of that.”

Despite Scherzer’s claim that the umpires ejected him for arguing, rather than using an illegal substance, the ace pitcher will reportedly still have to serve an automatic 10-game suspension, which will be preceded by a hearing. Scherzer reserves the right to appeal the decision.

For their part, umpires stood by their decision to eject the future Hall-of-Famer, arguing that the substances on Scherzer’s hands exceeded anything they had seen previously.

“It was far more than we have ever seen before on a pitcher in live action and we understand the repercussions of removing a pitcher from the game, we take that very seriously and with the training we have been given by Major League Baseball to check … this is clearly something that went too far, it went over the line,” home plate umpire Dan Bellini said, according to NJ.com.

Over the course of the early 2023 season, three pitchers have now been ejected for the use of illegal substances. All three inspections have been carried out by umpire Phil Cuzzi.

Scherzer’s ejection and potential suspension come at a poor time for the Mets, who have had to start the season without starting pitchers Justin Verlander and Jose Quintana due to injuries. The team also recently lost Carlos Carrasco to injury as well and was already calling up minor-league arms to compensate for the depleted rotation.

Despite Scherzer’s ejection, New York still defeated former Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard and Los Angeles 5-3, clinching a series victory on the road against the West Coast rival. Brandon Nimmo went 5-for-5 in the game, and his go-ahead home run in the fifth inning was met with “Do it for Max” chants in the Mets dugout.

New York Mets pitcher Edwin Diaz suffered a torn patellar tendon in his right knee shortly after a game in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) Wednesday. He is expected to miss the 2023 MLB season.

The Mets formally diagnosed the injury Thursday after conducting further medical imaging. Diaz signed a record-breaking five-year, $102 million deal with New York during the offseason. The star closer earned the save for Puerto Rico against the Dominican Republic and was celebrating with teammates when he suffered an injury to his right leg. He had to be carried off the field and put in a wheelchair.

While Diaz was being escorted off the field, his brother and WBC teammate, Alexis Diaz, could be seen crying. At the press conference, players on the Puerto Rican team repeatedly expressed sympathy for Diaz, understandably deflated despite a clinching a spot in the next round.

“Sugar (Diaz) is one of the glue guys in that clubhouse … he has a really big bank account but his heart is way bigger than his bank account,” second baseman Kike Hernandez told reporters. “He’s one of the really special human beings we’ve got in that clubhouse.”

Diaz’s injury immediately served as a flashpoint incident for many analysts and fans protesting the WBC, a professional event in which many MLB players compete in high-profile games beyond their contracted duties. These detractors have cited this injury, which could cost Diaz an entire MLB season, as a reason to change the format of the event or do away with it altogether.

Some analysts have assumed even stronger opinions about the WBC. Sports and political commentator Keith Olbermann has received criticism for his comments on Twitter, in which he called for the event to be ended immediately after injuries to Diaz and Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, who is representing Canada.

“The WBC is a meaningless exhibition series designed to: get YOU to buy another uniform, to hell with the real season, and split up teammates based on where their grandmothers got laid,” Olbermann said.

In Diaz’s case, the injury was not related to in-game activity but instead seemed to occur as a result of a freak accident while celebrating. But in the lead-up to the WBC, many star pitchers in the league declined the invitation to compete, citing unnecessary strain and potential for injury as reasons to instead stay with their MLB teams for spring training.

Starting pitcher Max Scherzer, Diaz’s teammate in New York, explained earlier this week that he didn’t accept an invitation to play because he didn’t feel prepared to compete in the WBC environment.

“For me personally, I’m not ready to step into a quasi-playoff game right now, physically,” Scherzer said. “If I do that, I’m rolling the dice with my arm.”

In defense of the WBC, Mike Trout and Mookie Betts, MLB star outfielders who are representing the United States, said that the event has been one of their best experiences on a baseball field. They both said that they accepted risk by playing but offered glowing praise for the opportunity to represent their country on the world stage. The players also agreed that Diaz’s injury was not a result of the competition.

“That could happen to anybody at any given time, and you can always try and place blame on the WBC, but that’s just a freak accident,” Betts said.

With Puerto Rico’s victory over the Dominican Republic, thanks in part to Diaz’s save, the team clinched a position in the next round as the Pool D runner-up and will advance to play Mexico in the quarterfinal.

Jacob deGrom may not pitch for the New York Mets until game three and it’s a mistake that could backfire badly.

Right now, Max Scherzer is penciled in as the game-one starter for the first game of the wild card round against the San Diego Padres tonight.

No issues there.

However, the Mets have yet to announce a game-two starter and there are reports that it could depend on whether the team wins Friday’s playoff opener.

While a loss would almost certainly give deGrom the next start, a Mets win on Friday could lead to the team gambling and going with Chris Bassitt instead.

The thinking behind this is to save deGrom and start him in the first game of the NLDS.

Typically, pitchers need five days in between starts.

I hear the argument and maybe it would be a better one if the Mets were playing a softer team with not as much offensive firepower.

Look, Bassitt is a quality pitcher – but is nowhere close to deGrom’s level. 

And doing this against a dangerous lineup that features big names including Juan Soto and Manny Machado? 

Also, getting runs off the Padres’ pitching staff won’t come easy as well, as the Mets are set to face Yu Darvish, Blake Snell and Joe Musgrove.

In a series like this, you need your best options.

Downplaying the Padres even without Fernando Tatís Jr. in the lineup is nuts.

And it’s unclear how effective Mets outfielder Starling Marte will be despite being added to the wild-card roster

He hasn’t been in the lineup since early September with a fractured right finger.

It’s certainly no gimmick series for the Mets. 

It would be foolish of the Mets to not pitch deGrom pitch in game two and instead play him in a must-win game three where anything can happen.

While deGrom has struggled in recent games and had a letdown performance against the Braves – he’s still one of the best pitchers (if not the best) of this generation.

In his last four starts, deGrom has struck out 41 batters but has gotten himself in trouble with the long ball.

The Mets and manager Buck Showalter can’t mess around here against a team as talented as the Padres.

After today, the Mets will play the Padres on Saturday followed by Sunday (if it goes that far).

All three games will be played at Citi Field.               

Max Scherzer regularly delivers blistering performances on the mound.

But PitchCom has him bothered. It is a piece of technology that features a keypad that catchers use to request pitches without using hand signals. It was introduced this season to lessen signs-stealing and speed up the game, but it is an extension of the league’s wariness after the 2017 Houston Astros’ sign-stealing scandal.

PitchCom has many favorable reviews from players around the league. Yankees pitcher Michael King said earlier this year, “We all love it. We actually want the catchers to give us signs faster. We’re thinking about it, like after he throws the ball back to me, I’d rather know it right then. It gives you time to think about the pitch and throw it with conviction. I come set knowing that I have no doubt in my mind that the catcher is thinking something different than me.”

Scherzer on the other hand is not a fan of the new tech. “For me, I’ve always taken pride in having a complex system of signs and having that advantage over other pitchers,” Scherzer said. “The fact that we’re taking this out of the game and we’re just putting in technology, now everybody — you can’t steal signs on second, the pitcher can’t have an advantage of having a complex system. It’s part of baseball trying to crack someone’s signs. Does it have its desired intent that it cleans up the game a little bit? Yes, but I also feel like it takes away part of the game,” the 38-year-old said.

While Sherzer’s comments may seem outright dismissive of the new technology, he did provide some insight on whether he would be using PitchCom in the future, “I don’t know. I’ll think about it. I might.”

Just a day after the San Francisco Giants became the first MLB team to clinch a postseason spot, their division rival in the Los Angeles Dodgers have secured one of their own after defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-4 on Tuesday.

The Giants and the Dodgers boast the first and second-best records in baseball at 95-50 and 93-53, respectively. The Bay Area squad has been unexpectedly impressive this year, as FiveThirtyEight’s pre-season predictions listed them as the 9th worst team in baseball.

GET DEALS ON TICKETS FOR MLB POSTSEASON HERE! 

As for the Dodgers, the team has been cruising since the mid-season acquisition of Max Scherzer to replace Trevor Bauer, who is on administrative leave due to a sexual assault scandal. In eight starts with the Dodgers, the three-time Cy Young Award winner has been virtually unhittable, posting six wins, zero losses, a WHIP of 0.67 and a microscopic 0.88 ERA

However, now isn’t the time for both rosters to take their foot off the gas. With just over two weeks remaining in the season, the Dodgers currently trail the Giants by merely two-and-a-half games for the top of the NL West. Competing in a one-game playoff between the one and two-seed wild card teams would be much riskier than winning the division and facing off in a best-of-five series with home-field advantage.

History could potentially be made this October since the Giants and Dodgers have never squared off against each other in the postseason.

The Dodgers are also looking to defend their World Series title and become the first team to repeat since the 1999-2000 Yankees.

Los Angeles is home to stars – the Dodgers fortified that reputation, acquiring both star pitcher Max Scherzer and all-star infielder Trea Turner from the Nationals.

The Dodgers are sending a lucrative package of prospects to Washington: pitcher Josiah Gray, catcher Keibert Ruiz, pitcher Gerardo Carrillo and outfielder Donovan Casey. Gray and Ruiz were the top two prospects from Los Angeles’s farm system.

Scherzer is having a stellar season, pitching to a 2.76 ERA in 19 starts. He is owed $35 million in this final year of his contract, although it will be paid off in deferrals through 2028. He will join a rotation of Walker Buehler, Clayton Kershaw, David Price, Julio Urias and Tony Gonsolin. Recently added pitcher Trevor Bauer is out indefinitely after possible criminal offenses arose off the field.

Turner is currently batting .322 with 18 big flies and 49 runs batted in. He is just 28 years old and is under control through the 2022 season.

Los Angeles has a history of making big splashes at the trade deadline. Previous examples include acquiring Yu Darvish and Manny Machado.

San Diego Padres relief pitcher Daniel Camarena had one of the most memorable first career hits on Thursday.

Camarena was at the plate in his second plate appearance against the Washington Nationals in the bottom of the fourth inning, his team down 8-2. With the bases loaded, Camarena stared down Nationals’ star pitcher Max Scherzer. Any batter in the situation would feel immense pressure with the bases loaded against a three-time Cy Young award winner. However, Camarena surprised many and delighted fans when he hit a grand slam off Scherzer.

Camarena’s first career hit was a grand slam. “Oh my God, I blacked out,” the rookie said of his home run. “I hit first base, and then all of a sudden I noticed the lights were flashing in the stadium, and that’s when it kind of hit, like, Oh my God I just hit a home run. Not only that, a grand slam.”

He became the second pitcher in MLB history whose first hit was a grand slam. Camarena was the first relief pitcher to hit a grand slam since Don Robinson did it for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1985. Camarena is the first Padre to produce a grand slam with his first hit.

“Down 8-0 to Max Scherzer, and our ace goes out of the game,” Padres manager Jayce Tingler said. “We get a grand slam from a pitcher just called up today, probably at the top. It’s special, and that’s why I’m confident we’re going to do special things. Just because of the way we fight and we don’t lay down, we just keep going.”

The grand slam allowed the Padres to close the gap. San Diego eventually completed the comeback, winning 9-8.

On Sunday, Max Scherzer tossed a complete game in a Washington Nationals 3-1 victory over the Miami Marlins.

The win allowed the Nationals to retain their first place lead in the NL East division. It was the 12th career complete game for Scherzer, who is a seven-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young Award winner.

The starting pitcher allowed five hits and struck out nine batters in the whole game. The game only lasted 2 hours and 37 minutes. Following the game, Scherzer immediately rushed to be with his wife Erica for the birth of their third child on Sunday night.

“Typical of him to do something cool on an interesting day for him,” Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman said. “For him to go complete game and pitch the way he did today and then go over and have a baby with his wife, pretty cool day for him.”

“We’re happy for him,” Zimmerman said of Scherzer. “He never ceases to amaze, I guess, is the best way to put it.”

Max and Erica welcomed their third child, Derek Alexander Scherzer, at 5:38 pm, according to Erica Scherzer’s Instagram. It is the couple’s first son.

The couple met at the University of Missouri, where they were both pitchers. The couple married in 2013 and welcomed Brooklyn, their first daughter, on November 29, 2017. The couple welcomed their second daughter, Kacey Hart Scherzer, on July 4, 2019.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. continues to make headlines and grab attention with his ability and performance.

On Tuesday, Guerrero showed the fans and audience how good he is and how scary he’ll be as he continues to improve. The Toronto Blue Jays faced off against the Washington Nationals. The third baseman made an achievement that has not been seen in the league in over 100 years.

The 22-year-old batter hit three home runs, including a grand slam, and recorded seven RBI’s in a Toronto 9-5 win over the Nationals. The young third baseman became the youngest player in league history to have a three-HR and a seven-RBI game since 1901.

The first home run came during the bottom of the third inning with the Nationals leading 3-0. Guerrero Jr. stepped to the plate with the bases loaded against All-Star starting pitcher Max Scherzer. The third baseman worked Scherzer to a 2-1 count, and on the next pitch, he crushed it outside for a grand slam. The grand slam gave Toronto a 4-3 lead.

Fast forward to the bottom of the fifth inning. Facing Scherzer once again, Guerrero Jr. hit a solo shot to increase the Toronto lead to 7-3.

The home runs did not stop there though. In the bottom of the seventh inning, the third baseman stepped to the plate yet again. This time, Guererro Jr. was up against Nationals pitcher Kyle Finnegan. The 22-year-old hit a two-run home run to give the Blue Jays a 9-5 lead.

Following the team win, the young batter was excited. It was memorable because he hit two home runs off Scherzer, who is a three-time CY Young winner. “I’m feeling very blessed right now,” Guerrero told reporters. “Hitting two homers against a legend [Scherzer] like that, it’s unbelievable what I’m feeling right now.”

The third baseman received praise from his father, Hall of Famer, Vladimir Guerrero Sr. “What a night for my boy,” he wrote. “All the hard work is paying off.”

The recognition did not stop there. The third baseman became the first player age 22 or younger with three career Grand Slams since Alex Rodriguez did it.

Opening Day of Major League Baseball will be here before you know it! This is a good time to look at each’s team’s prognosis heading into the 2021 season after the 60-game abbreviated 2020 season.

> GET THE BEST WASHINGTON NATIONALS TICKET DEALS HERE!

The Washington Nationals had a disappointing 2020 season, following an outstanding World Series win in 2019. In 2020, the Nationals fell into fourth place in the National League East and missed the postseason. Washington also took a step back in standings that were representative of their decline. The team came in 25th in ERA, posting a 5.09 ERA, and 22nd in homers with 66 home runs. The Nationals have the right core to head off into the postseason, but the NL East is competitive, and at this point, any team could come out on top.

Here are Washington’s projected starters.

Washington Nationals Projected Batting Order:

1. SS Trea Turner 
2. OF Juan Soto
3. 1B Josh Bell 
4. OF Kyle Schwarber 
5. 2B Starlin Castro
6. 3B Carter Kieboom
7. C Yan Gomes
8. OF Victor Robles 
9. Pitcher

Washington Nationals Projected Pitching Staff:

• SP1 Max Scherzer 
• SP2 Stephen Strasburg 
• SP3 Patrick Corbin
• SP4 Jon Lester 
• SP5 Joe Ross 
• CL Brad Hand

Washington Nationals Team Outlook:

The Nationals’ biggest move this offseason was trading for first baseman Josh Bell and sending starters Wil Crowe and Eddy Yean to the Pirates. Additionally, the Nationals signed former Chicago Cubs Kyle Schwarber, Jon Lester, Alex Avila, and closer Brad Hand. With these additions came the losses of third baseman Asdrubal Cabrera, reliever Sean Doolittle, and outfielder Adam Eaton.

If outfielder Victor Robles and third baseman Carter Kieboom can prove themselves worthy bats, Washington’s offense will be elite. The bullpen is in better shape with new acquisition Brad Hand, but the bullpen is still not over the moon. Regarding the starting rotation, the Nationals do have three aces, but the rotation’s back end will need retooling for the team to make the postseason. Yes, the NL East will be fun to watch, but the Nationals will need to rebound after a disappointing 2020 to make the postseason.

Washington Nationals Schedule:

> GET THE BEST WASHINGTON NATIONALS TICKET DEALS HERE!

On Tuesday, Major League Baseball sent the first volley in what looks to be a long rally between the league and the MLB Players Association as to how to start the season from an economic standpoint. MLB’s initial proposal stated that there would be significant pay cuts for the 2020 season. Safe to say that the MLBPA did not like that. On Wednesday, the player’s union responded.

On Wednesday, it came out that the MLBPA are seeking full prorated salaries as well as 100+ games played in the 2020 season. This wouldn’t be a counter offer to MLB’s primary offer – instead the union will be completely disregarding the league’s offer.

In a post on Twitter, Max Scherzer, who is one of eight players on a subcommittee with the player’s union, came out and said that the MLBPA will not be accepting the league’s offer and will continue in the pursuit of prorated salaries. “After discussing the latest developments with the rest of the players there’s no need to engage with MLB in any further compensation reductions.”

https://twitter.com/Max_Scherzer/status/1265842546619691010

The league has been eyeing to start its season in July following a three week ‘spring’ training. The longer these negotiations get drawn out, it becomes less and less likely as too when we will see baseball be played this year as it seems both sides have dug their heels in and have no plans of budging.

SLIDESHOW: 50 GREAT SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2019

New York Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom won his second consecutive NL Cy Young Award on Wednesday after beating out Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer. 

The 31-year-old Mets right-hander also edged out Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu after winning 29 of 30 first-place votes. Washington Nationals pitcher and World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg finished fifth in Cy Young voting after finishing with a 3.32 ERA and 251 strikeouts. DeGrom is now the seventh NL pitcher to win the Cy Young two years in a row or more. He joins a list that includes Scherzer, Clayton Kershaw and Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax.

After struggling at the beginning of this season, deGrom returned to the prowess that earned him the Cy Young last year and finished this season 11-8 with a 2.43 ERA and an MLB-leading 255 strikeouts over 204 innings. The Mets ace was particularly stellar in his final 23 starts this season, as he allowed more than two runs only four times. On the day of his last start, the Mets were eliminated from wild-card contention after posting an 86-76 record.

SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2019 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW 

Last year, deGrom also earned 29 of 30 first-place votes to win the Cy Young but finished the season with a 1.70 ERA.

MLB fans on Twitter appeared to react with great excitement to the news of the Mets ace winning this year’s Cy Young for the second straight year: